The Face I Show the World
by CaseClosed621
Summary: Kagome has two faces. Her human face she shows the world and her hanyou side she shares with a select few people. She's been hurt too many times to count so her human face is untrusting and cold. Can Yash and the gang help her?  Did i mention she's mute?
1. Chapter 1

**Ok so i really should be updating my other story that i haven't touched in a few months but in order for that one to get updated i really need something else to get me motivated! So this story is actually about halfway done so i don't feel guilty about uploading cause i know i can keep up with the updates. So welcome to my third Inuyasha Fan Fic! No flames please, if you don't like it then either give me constructive criticism or stop reading. Just a little warning before we begin, i had to convert this from first to third person. I think i've got all the bugs out but bear with me if there are a couple mistakes here and there. Happy reading!**

"You're going to be late for school if you don't hurry up!" a voice shouted through a bedroom door. The girl inside sighed and rolled her eyes then knocked on the wall of the room three times to acknowledge that she had heard. The she went back to studying her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of clean jeans that were free of holes, comfortable sneakers and a t-shirt that said 'silence is golden, duck tape is silver.' Her long black hair was, for once, free of it's usual braid so that it hung loose down to waistlength. Streaks of electric blue highlighted her raven hair, making the girl look like the rebel child she wasn't. Atop her head perched two little dog ears that twitched with every little sound.

"Sis, Come on we're gonna be late," the girl's little brother called. Said girl punched the wall of her room so hard that the pictures hanging up downstairs rattled. 'I'll be ready when i'm ready,' she thought, making quick work of getting her hair back in it's french braid,' and not one moment sooner.' She checked to make sure the braid was even and then turned to the jewelry box that sat on her dresser. She lifted out the one piece of jewelry that ever got worn and slipped it onto her left ring finger. Instantly she felt the change ripple through her body, her hair went a complete raven black, her eyes changed from electric blue to a dull shade of brown and the dog ears disappeared to be replaced with human ones. The girl heaved her back pack over her shoulder and took one last glance at her now human appearance before leaving the bedroom.

Her little brother, Souta, was waiting for his sister by the front door. "Finally Kagome," he said," i was afraid that you were going to make us late on our first day of school." His sister shot him a glare which he correctly interpreted as a 'Don't piss me off' look. He took a step back and then ducked around the corner saying," what do you know i forgot to grab my helmet. Meet you outside."

Kagome shook her head as she headed into the garage and over to her motorcycle. It was black with a wing motif on the sides. It was the last gift her mother had ever given her and for that, she loved it with all her heart. Kagome would be devastated if anything ever happened to it. She had named it Guardian Angel.

She put the back pack in one of the saddle bags and shrugged into her riding jacket. She straddled the bike and put her helmet on and backed it carefully out of the garage just as Souta was running out the front door, riding jacket on and helmet in hand.

He hopped on the bike and his sister barely gave him any time to hang on before the two of them sped off. Kagome dropped him off at his new middle school before making her way into the parking lot of her new school. Some kids looked up when they saw a motorcycle being driven into the parking lot, watching with curious eyes at who the rider was.

She found an empty parking space and slid into it. She took off her helmet and shrugged out of the jacket, stowing both away in the saddle bag and getting her backpack out. Then Kagome went in search of the office.

Kagome could feel the whispers going around the halls at the emergence of a new student, and one that rode a motor cycle at that. She let out a small, sad, wistful sigh before squaring her shoulders and closing her ears against the chatter. They wouldn't be this talkative about her once they found out about her. After that it would be the exact same as any other school she had been to. The only thing that would be different would be the fact that they wouldn't hate her just for being alive.

Kagome found her way to the office with little trouble. It's the same in every school, the main office. It's always right next to the front door. She stood outside it and took a deep breath ready for some very uncomfortable explanations on her part and some really weird looks. This was going to be fun.

She stepped into the office and went over to the desk in the room. Then she took a piece of paper out of my pocket and placed it on the desk. The note read, 'Hello, my name is Kagome Higurashi. I am mute and a new student here. Could you please get me my schedule and my locker assignment?" The woman looked mildly surprised but not as surprised as she would have been had she no warning. Kagome's step-father had called the school head to tell them all about her disability. In the end she managed to get everything with almost no trouble.

Kagome found her locker in a fairly busy hallway, filled with kids and plugged in the combination. She tugged the lock, found that the lock didn't open and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. This again. For some reason, combination locks just don't like her.

She tried the combination again just as someone shouted down the hall," Hey Kikiyo!" How she managed to hear that one thing all the way down the hall but she did. Kagome tugged the lock a second time, still nothing. 'Third time's a charm.'

"Kikiyo," came the shout again, louder this time. 'Alright, this time try going right ways past zero,' she thought.

Kagome was concentrating so hard on trying to get the lock open that she didn't register the fact that someone came up behind her. She did a mental happy dance when the very welcome 'click' of the lock coming open reached her ears. She did notice, however, when said person spun her around to face him saying," Oi Kikiyo, didn't you hear me calling you? I called your name like three times!"

Kagome found herself looking up at a guy about 6'4" with long silver hair, irritated golden eyes and dog ears that twitched angrily on top of his head. He had a 'don't mess with me' attitude that probably made sumo wrestlers gulp. Now Kagome was no push over, she would be the first to assure you, she's been in enough fights and come out on top to make most people think twice about messing with her. But let's just put this in perspective. Imagine you're face to face with a guy who happens to be blocking all escape routes by pinning you up against a locker, and looked like he could go five rounds punch for punch with a professional boxer and come out on top, then say you're not scared.

"Oi, you're not Kikiyo," the guy said, his eyes going from annoyed to confused to angry," who are you?" 'No shit Sherlock,' Kagome thought,' you're demon even if it's only half you should be able to tell my scent from hers.' This was one of those times when she desperately wished she could talk, it would make things so much easier.

Kagome stared at him for a moment before her brain kicked into gear. She dug around in my back pack and pulled out a notebook with the label of 'Conversations.' It was a notebook that never really got much use, most people when they saw her, didn't even want to try and talk to her. Those that did, well they got so bored with the slow speed of the conversation that they wouldn't talk to her any more after that. She grabbed a pen and started writing in the notebook.

The guy slapped the book and pen out of her hands. "I didn't ask you to write about it in your diary wench," he growled loudly, the hallway around us went dead silent," i asked you who you were and why you looked like Kikiyo!"

'You didn't ask me why i look like this person Kikiyo,' Kagome thought, her mind trying to catch up with the situation,' you just asked me who i was.' This was just great, five minutes in her new school and she already had my first fight, and she didn't even try and pick it this time. The halls had cleared, this guy was obviously one you didn't want to mess with. "I'll ask you one more time," the guy shouted," who are you and why do you look like my girlfriend Kikiyo!"

Kagome lifted her hands in the air and tried a last ditch effort, sign language. She really hoped this guy would get the hint and figure out that she couldn't talk. His golden eyes clouded with confusion for a moment and her heart soared, he might just get it. Then a second later his eyes grew angry again, even more angry than before if that was possible.

His balled fist came up into a strike position. Kagome grasped the ring on her hand, if need be, she could take it off and take this guy on in her other form. As a human, she was helpless against anything he did.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" Came a female voice from behind him. The voice caused him to stop short and look over his shoulder. His fist never went down, ready to move if the girl he had trapped tried anything. "Teaching little miss silence of the lambs here that when i ask her a question, she damn well better answer it," he growled at the girl. From the glimpse Kagome got of her over his shoulder, the girl was pretty. She was tall with long brown hair, not as long as Kagome's but fairly long, and wore a pair of skinny jeans and a black shirt.

She wore a frown on her face and Kagome wasn't sure if it was at Inuyasha or if she approved of what he was doing and the look was for Kagome. She figured she could take her if she needed to, but she needed to get through the hulk in front of her first. "And what did she do to you?" she asked sceptically. "She won't answer me when i ask her why she looks like Kikiyo," he said, stepping aside enough to let the strange girl get a better look at her.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Miroku, Sesshomeru, Koga! I found him!" she called over her shoulder. She leveled a gaze against Inuyasha, a mixed look of disgust and incredulousness on her face. "Let her go," she said. Her could had gone steady and steely, a command that no one dared oppose. He stepped away from Kagome and she gathered up her book that had gotten dropped on the floor. "Are you ok?" the strange girl asked her, reaching out a hand to help her back up.

She pulled Kagome up and, without thinking, she signed a 'thank you' to the girl. The strange girl stared at her in stunned shock, then a look of anger crossed her face. 'Here it comes,' inwardly wincing and bracing herself for the insults that were coming. They never came, instead, the girl turned to Inuyasha and started yelling at him. "You god damn Idiot," she screamed at him, tugging at a silver dog ear so she could yell in it," the girl's deaf and you're standing over her about to beat her up!" She noticed that at the beginning of the yelling Kagome had clamped her hands over her ears.

"You can hear me?" she asked. Kagome nodded and finger spelled 'mute', to her. In her experience most people at least knew the American sign language alphabet. She nodded then narrowed angry eyes at Inuyasha again. "You're despicable," she muttered," Miroku, i need your translation abilities over here."

Five people appeared in the hallway behind the girl, two girls and three boys. "Hey Sango," one of the girls said, skipping over," who's the new girl?" "Same question i've been trying to get her to answer," Inuyasha said. 'By threatening me,' Kagome signed at him,' don't you know sign language when you see it?' One of the boys laughed out loud. 'You'll find that when it comes to Inuyasha,' he signed back at me,' he doesn't notice things unless he wants to.'

Kagome stared at him, flabbergasted, for a second, then her hands switched into high gear. Where did he learn to sign? What was his name? Why did he know how to sign? Was Inuyasha always such a jerk? On and on the questions went, her hands going a mile a minute and his were trying to keep up. Finally he threw his hands up in the air. "Give Miroku a minute," the girl, Sango said," i've never seen him sign this much before." Kagome nodded and got incredulous looks from the rest of the gang. "She's mute, not deaf," Sango explained," she can hear but not speak. Could you sign your name?" 'Kagome,' she signed, going slow to make sure she interpreted correctly.

"Kagome," she repeated," pretty name. I'm Sango, the guy signing to you is Miroku, the girl next to me with the short hair is Rin, the red head is Ayame. Sesshomeru is the one that looks like an older version of Inuyasha, minus the ears, they're half brothers by the way. And Koga is the wolf demon with the bushy tail and the attitude problem." "Hey what about me?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome beat Sango to the punch on that one, figuratively, not literally, no matter how much she wished it otherwise. She signed something to him and Inuyasha's mouth fell open in shock. Miroku started laughing so hard that tears were coming out of his eyes. Everyone looked to him for translation. "That is not something i'm going to translate," he said," i'll just leave it up to your imagination, but just think that it's not pretty." Most everyone broke out into smiles at this.

"Do you need help finding your classes Kagome?" Rin asked Kagome. 'If you could just point me in the direction of room 207,' she signed,' i can take it from there.' Miroku translated for her. "That's where we're all heading," Rin said," we'll just take you."

Warning bells were going off in Kagome's head at that. 'Just one class,' she told herself,' one class and then i only have to talk to them as acquaintances.' Slowly she nodded, hoping that her hesitancy hadn't shown on her face. "Great," Rin squealed," Let's go!" "She gets kinda hyper sometimes," Sango told the taken aback Kagome," but it makes up for Sesshomeru always being so stoic all the time so it all balances out in the end."

First period turned out to be history which was good, Kagome always manage to pull all A's in history even if she sleep through most of the class. "What do you have next Kagome," Miroku asked at the end of class as everyone was gathering up their stuff. 'Calculus, I can get it from here.' She sped out of the class before anyone could stop her to offer their help.

"You know, i get the feeling that the wench doesn't like us," Inuyasha said, staring out the door where the new girl had gone out of a moment before. "No shit Sherlock," Koga said," you threatened to hit her. If i were her i would have been scared out of my wits." "I really can't believe you did that Yash," Ayame said, shaking her head," come on, let's get to class."

As it turned out, Kagome had Calc with Sesshomeru, some how she had pegged him for being the smarter of the two brothers. Physics was next. This time she had Sesshomeru, Miroku and Sango in the class with her. She tried to find a seat as far away from them as she could. In each class it was always the same. The teacher would introduce her, tell them that she had just moved and that she was mute and to be nice. Then the stares would start, then the whispers would start, then the insults would start.

Kagome booked it out of physics as fast as she could, making it to music just before the bell rang. "You're a fast runner," came a voice. She looked up to see Ayame, Rin and Sango, Ayame had spoken. Kagome shrugged and went over to introduce herself to the teacher. This was a choir class but she asked if she could join and play piano for the group instead. The school had agreed and she sat down at the piano bench and did a couple of scales while the teacher got the music scores to the pieces they were learning. the class ran fairly smoothly.

"Hey Kagome, do you want to eat lunch with us?" Rin asked. Kagome shook her head and got out her conversations notebook. 'I have something else i need to do,' she wrote and showed it to them,' maybe another time?' "We'll hold you to that," Rin said skipping out the door.

Kagome had lied to them. She didn't have anywhere to be for lunch, but she really just needed to get outside and be away from people for a while. It's not that she didn't like people, she just didn't trust them. Now that she thought about it, there wasn't that much of a difference. Kagome wandered around for a couple of minutes before she found herself on the roof. Nearby there was a tall tree that reached taller than the school building. Ok so it was about a twenty foot jump from the roof to the nearest branch of the tree but that wasn't much of a problem for her in her other form.

Kagome looked around, there was no one on the roof and no one in the courtyard below to see anything. She took a deep breath and for the first time in a long time in broad daylight, she took her ring off. She held her breath as the change rippled through her. Her hair got it's blue highlights back, her finger nails lengthened, her fangs elongated and her ears that she loved so much moved from the sides of her head to the top of it. She took a deep breath through her nose. She didn't smell anyone who could blow her cover. Thank the gods above.

She jumped from the roof to the tree and landed with the grace of a cat. Then she climbed even higher still, till at last she was as high as she could go without getting hurt. She slipped the ring back on her finger, settled back into a comfortable position on a branch and closed her eyes, intent on getting herself into some state of calmness before afternoon classes.

Half way across the school, in the lunch room, a tall girl with jet black hair and red eyes felt something. 'Now that is a presence i haven't felt in a long time,' she thought to herself, focusing, trying to pinpoint where the presence was. Slowly a devious smile spread across her face. 'So the little girl is back,' she thought,' well this just makes things that much more interesting.'

About halfway through lunch Kagome heard a group of students come into the courtyard and sit under the tree she was in. For once, she didn't care, she was just about asleep. 'The only thing that would make this better would be a pillow or three,' was her last conscious thought before falling asleep.

Under the tree sat the group of people Kagome had been trying to avoid all day. "So what do you guys think of Kagome?" Sango asked. "She's cute," Koga said, earning him a painful elbow in the ribs from Ayame. "She's shy," commented Miroku. Everyone shot a look at Inuyasha, who had been oddly silent throughout the day since the incident that morning. "What are you looking at me for?" he asked, temper flaring. "You know exactly why mutt," Koga said. "Piss off wolf turd!"

Before a fight could erupt, Ayame stepped between the two. "Just once i would like a day where neither of you went home with wounds from a fight," she said," stop it now." Both boys sat, shooting the other dirty looks. Inuyasha leaned back against the trunk of the tree for a moment, then sat up again, a frown on his face.

"Do any of you smell something odd?" he asked, looking at the other demons in the group. "What kind of odd brother?" Sesshomeru asked. "It smells slightly demonic, but then disappears," Inuyasha said," i don't know why but it's driving me crazy. it's like i know it from somewhere." "Well i'm not smelling anything," Koga said. "Ditto here," Ayame sighed. "I smell something," Sesshomeru said, a look that might have been labeled thoughtful crossing his face," but i'm not sure what it is. There is another smell though, there is someone up in the tree."

Before anyone else could react, Inuyasha was leaping up the branches higher and higher to the top of the tree where the girl who everyone had just been talking about sat, sleeping. Kagome must have been deeply asleep because usually the sense of a demon near her iwas enough to get her up and into an attack position.

He stared at the girl in surprise, how the hell did this little girl, this little mute girl at that, get herself this high in the tree with no help? Without thinking he leaned in close and took a sniff of her scent. It smelled... It smelled... 'Fake,' the word crossed his mind in a flash, giving no indication of where it had come from. He took another sniff, that was it, it smelled fake somehow. 'But there's no way for someone to change their scent,' he thought to himself as he stared at the strange girl.

"Inuyasha," Rin called," who is it?" "The girl from this morning, Kagome," he called back. He could hear the exclamations of surprise coming from down below. That must have been what woke her up.

Kagome opened her eyes to find two golden ones staring back at her and way too close for personal comfort. She was up and instantly alert, getting into a fighting position, ready to counter any attacks he might throw at her. They stared at each other for a few seconds, brown eyes clashing with gold when he broke the connection. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

Oh hell no, she was not going to fall for his tricks that easy. He just wanted her guard to go down so he could call her names or hit her or something. He noticed that instead of the words calming the girl down, she tensed even more and stood up, right hand gripping her ring. "I'm serious," he said," i was acting like a jerk this morning because i thought you were someone else and you surprised me by not being her. I'm sorry."

He had said the last part so low that Kagome almost didn't hear him. He sounded sincere but experience had taught her that the ones that sound the most sincere were the ones who were the best liars. "Is this because of what i am?" he asked me suddenly and she felt as if a load of bricks had been dropped on her. She could never hate him for being hanyou, it would be like hating herself.

'I don't hate you,' she signed to him,' i just don't trust you.' She started to climb down the tree but he grabbed her hand and forced her to stand up. Kagome pulled away from him, she was not going to fall for him that easy. She took a couple of steps backwards, away from him. That really wasn't the best idea.

Her foot slipped and she lost my balance, causing her to fall out of the tree. Now her new school was three stories high and the tree was about two more stories above the school. So Kagome was plummeting five stories with nothing to break her fall. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and her hand grasped the ring. If she transformed she wouldn't get quite as hurt and any wounds she got would heal faster.

She was about to pull it off when two strong arms wrapped themselves around her and hold her close. "Hang on," Inuyasha whispered in the frightened girl's ear. Kagome looked at him in shock, he had just jumped out of a tree that she wouldn't have wanted to try to in her other form in a thousand years. Not only that but he had done it for a girl he didn't even know, a girl that he had threatened to beat up this morning. A girl that everyone shunned.

They touched down with a slight jolt, Inuyasha taking the brunt of the impact with his legs and knees. "Kagome, are you ok?" just about everyone asked at the same time. She tried to pull away from Inuyasha but was shaking so bad that she just stumbled and he held her tighter. 'Are you ok?' Miroku signed,' not hurt are you?' She shook her head no.

When Kagome finally felt like she had control of herself, she pushed Inuyasha away and stood up, still shaky but she was in control of it now. 'I'm fine,' she signed to Miroku,' just a little shaken up.' She waited until he translated for the group before turning to Inuyasha and signing,' thank you for saving me. The answer to the question you asked before is that i don't hate you. I don't judge others just because of what they are. But at the same time i don't trust you either.'

Kagome started to walk away from the group but didn't get more than three steps away when a sudden, searing pain in her throat forced her to stop. She collapsed on the ground from the pain, but instead fell into someone's arms.

"Kagome, are you ok, Kagome!" Inuyasha asked. The terror and concern in his voice was real as the light of day. 'Just because he's worried now doesn't mean that he's a good guy,' the little voice inside Kagome's head reminded her. She acknowledged it but couldn't do more than that because the pain was just too much.

Her hands came up to her neck and tears pricked her eyes. 'No tears,' Kagome told herself as she gritted her teeth,' your meds for this kind of thing are in your backpack, tell Miroku.' She lifted her hands and signed painfully,' front pocket, backpack. Clear vial, purple liquid. Hurry.' She was fairly sure that she hadn't needed to add the hurry at the end because even before she had finished her instructions he had all but ripped open her backpack. Everyone else crowded around, asking what was wrong.

Miroku handed her the vial of lavender liquid. She tried to unscrew the cap but her hand was badly shaking and her fingers couldn't grip the cap the right way. Someone took the vial from her, she couldn't see who because the pain was making her see stars and she knew she was on the verge of blacking out. Whoever it was held the vial to her lips and she opened her mouth obediently and swallowed a mouthful before she had to stop. Crap, she needed to drink the entire dose of medicine but the pain was so bad that she couldn't swallow.

Whoever had the vial kept putting the open end to her lips, trying to make her drink it. Kagome started to cough then, choking up blood. "What the hell is happening to her," Inuyasha growled. "I don't know," that voice was Miroku's. The pain was making her delirious, she was sure, seconds later she passed out.

"Fuck," Inuyasha growled when Kagome went limp in his arms, still convulsing in pain. Rin was the one holding the bottle of medicine to her lips. "Is there any way you can force her to take it while she's sleeping," a worried Sango asked her. "No, if she's unconscious while she drinks, there's a chance she'll choke on it. Wonder why she collapsed like that," Rin replied. Inuyasha started shaking the girl. "Kagome wake up," he growled," you need to wake up."

A couple of seconds later she did wake up, her head spinning and the pain worse than ever. She coughed up more blood and then the vial was back on her lips, a voice that sounded like Rin's telling her to drink. She did and this time she managed to drink the rest of the dose. Kagome felt someone wrap their arms around her and hold her close until she stopped convulsing.

Finally, ten minutes later the medicine kicked in and the pain subsided. "What happened Kagome?" Surprisingly, it was Sesshomeru who asked that. Kagome lifted her arms weakly and began to sign. 'Sometimes, randomly, i get these awful pains in my neck and throat, it's like someone's sticking a knife in it and twisting,' as she signed, Miroku translated,' doctors don't know what does it. The medicine i have helps but it doesn't stop the pain from coming back.' It took a couple of seconds after she had stopped signing to realize that Inuyasha was growling lowly in his chest. It was the kind of growl that promised trouble to anyone who decided to provoke him.

"Inuyasha," called a voice from across the courtyard. Everyone turned their head to look at who had called. Kagome looked and saw a girl about her height and build coming their way. When she got close enough, Kagome finally saw why Inuyasha mistook the two of them. They had a lot of the same features and if she hadn't known better Kagome almost would have mistaken the two of them for twins. This was Kikiyo.

"Inuyasha," she said, coming to a stop in front of where he was sitting, holding Kagome in his lap," who's this?" She looked at her virtual twin with a glare that would have sent anyone else to the grave in a heartbeat, it scared her so much that she struggled to get out of Inuyasha's arms. Kagome was too weak at the moment and finally settled back down after Inuyasha squeezed her tightly to keep her in place.

"Inuyasha, who is she?" Kikiyo asked again. The look just about drilled holes into Kagome's skull but in her current predicament, she really couldn't do anything about it. "This is Kagome," Inuyasha said, emphasizing her name," and Kikiyo, i have something i need to talk to you about. Alone." Kikiyo sneered at this. "That's going to be kind of difficult," she said," since you have your arms wrapped around that little whore like there's no tomorrow." The name she said didn't effect Kagome. She had been called much, much worse. She couldn't, however, say the same for Inuyasha.

"What did you call her?" he asked, his voice rising dangerously. "You heard me," Kikiyo said," i leave you alone for half a day and i find you wrapped around this slut." Kagome felt the growl that came from his chest rather than heard it. 'Inuyasha let me up,' she signed,' i'm fine now.' "She wants you to let her up Inuyasha," Miroku translated," she says she's fine."

Grudgingly, he let her escape his embrace. Something pinged in the back of Kagome's mind as soon as she was out and almost immediately wanted to be back where she was moments before. "We need to talk Kikiyo," Inuyasha said, standing up and walking in front of her. "Whatever you can say can be said right here, right now," Kikiyo said, seething. Inuyasha sighed and Kagome noticed a pained expression in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Kikiyo," he said softly, pleadingly. "Just say it," she said. "Kikiyo, we have to break up," he said, shocking almost everyone around him," i'm sorry but we're over."

**And that cliffy is hopefully to get you all hooked and reviewing! The more i hear, the more i write, the sooner you guys get your next chapter! Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok so I lied to one of my reviewers (who sent me a very nice PM requesting i update the next chapter). I told her that i most likely wouldn't update this story till next weekend but since i've been getting such a good response with it i decided to update the chapter i had ready.**

**There is an important message at the bottom of the chapter so please read!**

Chapter 2

Kikiyo looked at Inuyasha for a moment before moving her eyes so that they locked on Kagome. Then she spun on her heel and marched back the way she had come. Leaving the rest of the group in shock. Kagome didn't know what happened next, she had left in a cloud of dust in all the confusion.

Kagome shrugged into her riding jacket and helmet and hopped onto her bike. Guardian roared to life as she sped out of the parking lot. For a while she drove around the city, familiarizing herself to it's streets, trying to get her emotions under control. Her head was screaming at her that she had already crossed all sorts of lines that were never meant to be crossed already, that she needed to stop and go back before she did any real damage. Her heart was telling her that she had already crossed so many of those lines, what was a few more?

'No,' Kagome thought,' I promised never again would I ever let myself get into a situation like that. Never, never, never. I need to stay away from him and his group of friends and that is final.' A hanyou, like a mute, was never fully accepted anywhere they went. They were shunned just for being alive and breathing. They were considered abominations to their race and the human race, neither side ever fully accepted them. Mutes were the same way. Normal people didn't accept them, because they were different from them and learning a whole new form of communication for so few of them just didn't seem like it was worth the effort. People who were deaf didn't accept them either, because mute people could hear just fine. Mostly they were jealous of that fact and pointedly snubbed people who were mute.

But the gods above simply loved screwing with people's lives because no matter what world Kagome lived in, she was never accepted. Humans wouldn't accept her as a mute and demons wouldn't accept her because... Because she was a hanyou. Yes, a hanyou. An inu hanyou to be exact, just like Inuyasha.

At her old home, Kagome had lived as a hanyou and a mute. Most people hated her simply on sight. Those that didn't, hated her when they found out she was mute. People made fun of her, beat her up, tortured her, ignored her, took every chance they could to snub her, the list went on and on. There were even more horrible things they did but Kagome wasn't going to touch those with a forty foot pole. Those wounds are still too sensitive to touch.

When three o'clock rolled around she sped over to Souta's school to pick him up. He came out the front door, surrounded by a group of boys about his age. he was laughing and smiling, and Kagome found herself smiling too. It had been a long while since she had seen him that happy. She revved the engine, signaling to him where she was. He walked over, friends in tow and said," hi sis!" He could tell she was smiling under her helmet.

"This is your ride home Souta," one of the boys exclaimed," awesome!" "Sweet bike," another commented. "Thanks guys," Souta said, accepting the praise for his sister," I've got to get going now, see you tomorrow?" A chorus of 'Yea's' erupted from the group as Kagome handed Souta his helmet and he hopped on the bike. They sped off through the streets and soon came to a stop at home.

"Dad said that he wouldn't be home till late tonight, so you need to feed us," Souta said, hoisting his school bag and beginning to head inside. Kagome sighed as she opened the garage door to park her bike. Souta's dad was really Kagome's step dad, Souta was her half brother. After her real dad died, mom got remarried to a guy named Naraku and shortly after her brother was born. But things weren't really happy for long. Her mom got sick, really badly sick and when Souta was just three, she died, leaving Naraku as their soul guardian. All told he's a good dad, even if he's almost never around and makes Kagome do all the chores around the house, but other than that, he's ok.

Kagome made Souta do his homework before he was allowed to play video games and did her own. Then she made dinner before making Souta go to bed around nine. When they were finally both safe and sound in their rooms, she took a deep breath and pulled the ring off her finger. It was a welcome relief to say the least. Her hanyou form was her true one and it didn't like being squashed into the human form the ring commanded it to take. Kagome had learned a long time ago that she did not sleep well in human form, so every night, the ring would come off and she would sleep soundly in my demon form.

Tonight she fell into bed and slept through the night, exhausted from the episode today and letting mher demon blood heal her in her sleep. The next morning, she was up before Souta, but not before Naraku who gets up at like five and then doesn't get home till two. She had once asked him when he slept but he had just given her a really weird look and she had never brought up the subject again. She woke Souta up and then went to make herself some breakfast.

"Hey sis," Souta said as he raced down the stairs," I forgot to ask you yesterday, did you make any friends while you were at school?" Kagome gave Souta a look as he sat down at the table. 'I don't make friends,' she signed. Souta sighed, this conversation was a big one between the two of the. Kagome wasn't willing to make friends because she always end up getting hurt. Souta thought she should try and make friends because he's never had any of my problems and he just didn't get how much it hurt her.

"Ok, any people that might turn into friends?" If there's one thing this kid is, it's persistent. 'No,' Kagome signed,' I don't want to talk about this. New subject.' "But sis," he wined. 'You want to walk to school?' his sister asked him,' shut up. we are not talking about this.' She turned away from him then because she knew that she had won.

"Dad left something for you," Souta said," he said that it's in his office." Curious, I got up and went to Naraku's office. On his desk was a brand new laptop and a note. 'I figured since you were going to a new school, it was time for a new start,' the note said,' this laptop is equipped with all the latest software as well as an IM program that allows you to send any questions you might have during class straight to your teacher's computers. Have fun, I'll be home a little early this evening.'

This was why, at times, Kagome liked her stepfather. She looked at the laptop before slipping it into her backpack and going to tell Souta brother that it was time to leave.

Kagome dropped him off at school and into the waiting group of students who was sitting on the front step. Then she made her way to school. As she rolled into the parking lot she was immediately on alert. She really didn't want to have to talk to anyone from that group. She noticed Sango and Miroku and the other girl, Rin, around one of their cars, they looked like they were waiting for someone.

Kagome made sure to park as far away from them as she could. Then she snuck into school, keeping an eye out for them. She managed to get to her locker with no trouble. She glared at her combination lock, here's hoping that she could get it open today. She tried it once, no luck. Behind her, she could hear students and someone shouting for someone. She didn't pay any attention as she tried the lock again, paying extra attention to how she turned it.

The lock 'clicked' open. Maybe someday she would be able to get it open on the first try. Yea, and someday hell would freeze over and pigs would fly. She stuffed all the books she didn't need into her locker and shut it just as someone came up behind her. "There you are Kagome, we've been looking all over for you," came a voice. Kagome turned around and found herself face to face with Inuyasha once again. His eyes held concern and worry, but she didn't believe them. "Where did you get off to yesterday?"

'Stay away from me,' she signed angrily, she didn't know why just the sight of him sparked fear and anger and something else that she couldn't place. She shoved her way around him but he grabbed her hand. "Hey, what's wrong? Is it something I did?" 'Stay away from me!' She tugged her hand away from him. Before he could catch her again, she ran off to first period.

"Inuyasha," a voice called as he watched Kagome dash away. He turned to see Kikiyo standing in front of him, hand on her hip and a frown on her face. "I am going to overlook your little announcement yesterday as a temporary lapse in sanity," she said," because I refuse to believe that you are breaking up with me over some little slutty mute girl."

Inuyasha sighed. "This has nothing to do with Kagome," he said," honest it doesn't. It has everything to do with my parents. They don't want me seeing anyone for some reason." Ok so the last part was a little lie, he knew the exact reason. He just knew Kikiyo wouldn't like it. "You're breaking up with me because your precious parents," she spat out the word like venom," don't want to two of us going out?"

The first bell rang. "We need to get to class," Kikiyo said, tossing her hair over her shoulder and turning away," we will continue this conversation later. Until then I am going to act as if your little episode yesterday never happened."

When Inuyasha got to first period, he found Kagome at her desk, typing away on a laptop. Rin, Ayame and Sango were next to her, trying to get her attention. She was obstinately ignoring them. He walked over to Koga and Miroku who were on the other side of the room, next to their desks and glancing at the girls.

"Hey guys," Inuyasha greeted, noticing the looks," what's up?" "Kagome came into the classroom this morning and Sango and Rin and Ayame went over to say hello and see how she was doing," Koga said," then she signed something which Miroku refuses to translate but says that it means to stay away from her." "I saw her in the hallway," Inuyasha said," she didn't look too happy to see me either."

Ayame came over to the group. "She's ignoring us," she reported," won't acknowledge us or anything. I wonder what we did." The three shot Inuyasha a look. "I've been good," he held up his hands," I swear I've been nothing but the perfect gentleman around her since yesterday morning." "Then I wonder what's going on with her," Miroku wondered aloud as their teacher came in to call them to order and begin the lesson.

The IM program that Naraku installed on Kagome's computer worked like a charm. She was able to get all of her questions answered without the necessity of a translator. She managed to keep away from that whole group for the beginning of the day and then at lunch time she again disappeared to the tree.

Kagome had a little bit of lunch while she sat in the tree and then leaned up against it to study her schedule. She had skipped out on her afternoon classes yesterday but it didn't look like she had missed much. After lunch she had study hall which was the equivalent of a free period, as long as she stayed on the school grounds she could do whatever she wanted. The period after that was literature class. And lastly was gym. Kagome rolled her eyes at the last class. At her old school you only needed to take one semester of gym but here you needed to take the equivalent of two years in order to graduate. Since she had taken a full year at her old school, she would take a year here to graduate on time.

Kagome had just slipped her schedule back in her bag when it happened again. 'Fuck,' she thought as she scrambled to grab her backpack and get her medicine out of it. This shouldn't happen, it almost never happened two days in a row. Her hand trembled as she held the vial to her lips and swallowed. She finally got most of the med down but not all before she slipped into unconsciousness.

That day at lunch, the entire group had gone outside again to sit under the tree on the grounds. The topic of conversation was Kagome. "I really wish I knew what was wrong with her," Sango said," I mean she's shy, any idiot can see that but there seems to be another motive for staying away from us." "And it's not just us," Miroku said," during Physics another person went up to her and asked if she would partner with them but she just said that she preferred to work alone." "I wonder where she is," Koga said," I didn't see or smell her in the lunch room. I don't think she's even been in there."

Suddenly, Inuyasha sat up from where he was leaning up against the tree. The smell of blood hit his nose, mingled with the scent of the particular medicine that Kagome used whenever she was having an attack. Koga, Ayame and Sesshomeru had smelled it too, but he was the quickest one up the tree and onto the branch that Kagome was on, blacked out and blood trickling out of her mouth.

He located the vial that still contained a mouthful of the lavender liquid that she needed to take, clasped in her hand. In one quick motion, he picked her up and took her back down to ground level. "She's having another attack," he said, an edge of concern in his voice," she managed to drink most of her medicine but there's still a little bit left."

The rest of the group jumped into action when he laid her down on the ground. Rin forced the vial out of Kagome's grip and Ayame and Sango held her down and tried to wake her at the same time. "This one's much worse than yesterday," Rin said worriedly," it seems to be a series of attacks. One right after the other in waves."

"Well then give her another dose," Inuyasha growled as Rin shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. I don't know what the medicine is much less what's going on in her neck. if you give someone too much medicine they can die." "She's waking up," Ayame announced.

The first thing Kagome felt when she woke up was the presence of demons near her. She tried to struggle to get to her feet but something was holding her down to the ground. 'Demons,' she thought,' it's just like back at home. I need to get out of here.' Kagome was panicking so bad that she didn't even register the pain in her neck though it was still causing her to convulse.

"Kagome," came a voice. She looked up to see Koga and Ayame looking down on her. 'See,' she told herself,' they're the ones that are doing this to you. They snuck up on you in your sleep.' This thought only renewed her struggling. Fear clouded her mind to the point where she couldn't tell what was going on outside of her. She didn't hear the worried calls of the group around her or Rin's questions of what the medicine was.

"She's panicking," Inuyasha said, he could hear her accelerated heart rate, above even what it should be when she was having a pain attack. she wasn't struggling like she was in pain, she was struggling because she was scared. "We need to get the girl assured that she is in no danger before she will stop struggling," Sesshomeru said. "Well what the hell do we do?" Inuyasha asked.

"Kagome," Rin called," Kagome I really need you to look at me." Surprisingly, through the din of the panic and chaos in Kagome's mind she was able to hear that. Her eyes locked with Rin's. "Good job," she murmurred," now what is the name of the medicine that you take for these pains?" She signed and vaguely remember hearing Miroku translate. "Alright, Kagome I need you to stay awake now, no going to sleep, we're trying to help you."

Kagome still felt demons, there was no way she was going back to sleep. "Koga and Ayame are trying to keep your arms down while I get the medicine in you," Rin continued," Sesshomeru is behind them, but not touching you. Inuyasha is beside you on your left side. Sango is keeping your legs down and Miroku is with me on your left side in case he needs to translate." She had told the panicking girl where everyone was, telling her where the demons were in the process. At the moment they were indeed trying to help her. Her eyes closed, she was so tired.

"Not yet Kagome," Rin said," you've got to stay awake." 'Too sleepy,' Kagome thought to herself, fighting to stay awake. "Inuyasha, dig around in her pack and get me one more vial of her medicine," Rin said," I know this one and it's safe for her to take about two doses at a time if it's an emergency."

A moment later, Kagome felt the glass of the medicine vial on her lips and Rin's voice telling her to drink. The pain in her throat was back with a force and she tried to get as much as she could without choking. Kagome managed to drink the whole thing before all her strength left her. She collapsed on the ground, still in pain but the medicine was working quicker due to the double dose. She felt two arms wrap around her and pull her close to them, growling softly in a way that reminded her of her very earliest memories. Memories that reassured her that everything was ok and would remain that way.

"We should get her to the nurse's office," Rin said. 'No,' Kagome signed, jolting upright for a moment,' no nurse. I'll be fine. I just need to rest. No nurse. no nurse.' She fell back into whoever's hold she was in as Miroku translated. The growling resumed and it was to that sound that she blacked out.

"Well," Inuyasha said," do we listen to her or do we take her to the nurse?" "I can keep an eye on her here," Rin said," judging from the panic attack she had when she woke up in a place she didn't remember coming to I don't think we should move her. Especially since she's so against it." "But she could be hurt far worse than what we can see," Sango argued. "If she doesn't wake up to tell us that she's better by the end of our free period," Rin reasoned," we take her to the nurse's office whether she likes it or not."

"Alright," Sango said dubiously, eyeing the sleeping girl in Inuyasha's arms. "Now what I want to know is why mutt face here broke up with Kikiyo," Koga said," that threw all of us for a loop there. Unless you're starting to have feelings for the mute girl?" The soothing rumble in Inuyasha's chest changed to an annoyed one. The sudden change nearly woke up Kagome. "Mom and dad wanted me to break up with her," he said. "And you're going to do it just like that?" Koga asked, it wasn't in Inuyasha's character to listen to his parents just like that. Especially if it involved Kikiyo, those two had been together since 8th grade.

"Mom told me that she didn't like her," Inuyasha said," and dad doesn't like her either." "So you're just going to give up possibly the best girl of your life just because your parents don't like her?" Miroku was incredulous. "It also has something to do with the prophecy given at his birth," Sesshomeru said. "Prophecy?" Koga was skeptical," what prophecy?" "You know my grandmother on my mother's side, Kaede?" Inuyasha asked," just before I was born she had a dream and when she woke up she wrote it down. She said she thought the gods were speaking to her through the dream."

At this point, Kagome stirred in his arms. Her eyes cracked open and she found herself into very worried golden ones. "Kagome, are you ok?" Inuyasha asked her. She nodded, she wasn't sure if she had the strength to sign or not, then struggled to sit up. She found out very quickly that if she didn't have the strength to sign she sure as hell didn't have the strength to sit up on her own. Inuyasha kept her pinned pretty tightly to him. 'What happened?' Her signing was slurred, as if she were signing in water.

"Inuyasha smelled your blood and jumped into the tree," Miroku said," he found you having another attack and brought you down to us. It's been about thirty minutes now." "Do you remember anything that happened?" Rin asked Kagome gently. 'I remember the pain then I blacked out. Then there was more pain and I woke up. I felt demons around me, I was scared. I tried to struggle and get away from them, I thought they were attacking me. Then chaos, pain and fear, then I heard Rin's voice telling me to give her the name of my medicine. Then me drinking it and falling back to sleep.'

"Have you had bad experiences with demons in the past?" Sesshomeru asked me. Kagome turned her head away from the group. She didn't want to talk about it. "Is that why you've been avoiding us?" Sango asked," because you've had bad experiences with demons?" 'Some, it's personal and it's complicated.' Kagome really did not want to talk about this. 'How long till the bell rings?' she asked,' I have literature next.'

"About ten more minutes until next period," Miroku told her," I suggest you spend that time resting." "It was worse than it was yesterday," Sango said. Kagome gave her a look and signed something that no one needed a translator for. 'You think?'

The teacher for her literature class ended up giving her the free seat beside Inuyasha, that was just as well because he didn't think that he would have been able to let anyone else take that position. There was just something about the girl that was drawing her to him, making him go nearly crazy whenever he was around her.

And when he had seen her in pain, he could almost hear a part of him dying it hurt so much. He didn't ever like seeing people in pain, but her especially he never wanted to. When she had finally drunk the rest of her medicine, he had wasted no time in gathering her up in his arms and holding her up to his chest. Then, to his surprise, he had started growling. It wasn't the angry growl that he made so often when he was pissed, it was the growl that used to put him to sleep at night when he was younger and his father was holding him. It was a calm soothing growl that told the girl in his arms that she was safe.

She fell asleep half way through the lesson, she was exhausted. She was adorable when she slept. 'I wish I could smell her true scent though,' he thought to himself. He didn't know how, but he just knew that the scent that she smelled like right now wasn't real. No, part of it was real but another part was not, it's like it was there to mask another scent from the rest of the world.

"Kagome," he called gently as he shook her awake," Kagome." She stirred but just rolled over and went back to sleep. "Kagome," he tried again," you need to wake up now." he was rewarded a few seconds later when her eyes fluttered open. "Time to get up sleepy head," he said with a chuckle," we need to get to gym."

Slowly, Kagome gathered up all her things, her movements deliberate and slow. She was really tired and went slow to make sure she did everything properly. When she finally was ready, Inuyasha grabbed her hand and tugged her gently in the right direction. 'He's really sweet,' she thought sleepily, too sleepy to censor her thoughts,' and cute to. And every time I see him, something happens to me, I can't explain it.'

She was almost literally asleep on her feet when Inuyasha finally dragged her into the gym. They had a free day today which Kagome was thankful for. "Sleeping are we," came a feminine voice from behind her," you know that's never really a good idea. You never know what could sneak up on you." It had been years since she had heard that voice, but she would recognize it anywhere.

Inuyasha let out a low warning growl at a comment that he thought meant the person wanted to hurt Kagome and turned around. Kagome turned with him and froze in shock at the person standing behind them. He thought she was afraid but a second later she broke out of his grip on her hand and flung herself at the teenager who was standing there. He heard a low growl come from Kagome's chest. He could have sworn that Kagome had just called the girl her sister.

**Ok, here's the important message i promised you. Right now i am currently looking for a beta. I don't need one for grammar/spelling as i already have that well covered. What i need is someone who has experience with character creation and building and someone who's not afraid to flood my inbox with messages to get my butt over to the keyboard and get writing. They'll also be needed to help out with the occasional case of writer's block and be available to bounce ideas off of for stories. If you are interested, please PM me!**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here we are at chapter three! Happy reading, there's more of an author's note down at the bottom of the chapter.**

"Is anyone else seeing what I'm seeing," Inuyasha asked as he felt everyone else come up behind him. "If you're asking if Kagome just flung herself into a hug at Kagura and called her sister in demon, then you would be right," Koga said, his face incredulous. They all watched, shell shocked as Kagome hugged the wind demoness tightly and had a return hug that was just as tight. Then Kagome broke contact with the girl and started signing rapidly.

Kagura had began answering Kagome's quick questions as fast as she could. "Four years, yes it's been a long time, Kanna's good, How do I go to school here if I didn't live close by?" she barely seemed to stop to take a breath," of course you can see us. How old is Souta now? Yes I'm excited to see him too."

"Ok," Inuyasha said, fed up with the confusing scene that was playing out before him," what in the seven hells name is going on here? Did Kagome just call you her sister?" Kagome shot him a look and signed something to Kagura. Kagura sighed in response and said," no he doesn't get better. He's always this impatient." Kagome rolled her eyes in response.

"Are you two really sisters?" Sango asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "Not by blood," Kagura answered," we are cousins though. When we were younger we were always over at each other's houses and at times you really couldn't tell the two of us apart. Our parents used to say that we were thick as thieves. We feel like we're more sisters than cousins."

"That still doesn't explain why she called you sister in demon," Ayame pointed out. Kagome began signing. "She says that that is for her to know and you to butt out," Kagura said," only she phrased it differently." Kagura exchanged a look with Kagome. Her gaze seemed to be questioning and Kagome's seemed to be stubborn. 'You look different,' Kagura signed to Kagome. Kagome lifted up her left hand to show off her ring. 'This is why,' Kagome said. Kagura shot her a look that said,' girl you got a lot of explaining to do.'

'Noted,' Kagome signed back in response to the look,' and we will talk about it. Later.' She emphasized the later. Inuyasha felt something nagging at him in the back of his mind. 'She's hiding something from us,' he thought as he looked at Kagome, there was pain and fear and joy all encased in her eyes,' something that hurts her.' He didn't want anything to hurt her. He had only just met her and yet he felt as if he would kill in cold blood anything that dared come near her with the intent to harm her.

They sat around the rest of class, Kagura and Kagome signing away as the rest of the group looked on in awe. When the bell rang they all gathered up their things and made their way out to the front of the school. 'Can you and Kanna come over tomorrow?' Kagome signed to Kagura as she stowed away her things in her saddle bags,' not today, the house isn't anywhere near ready and Naraku is coming home early tonight.'

"Tomorrow it is," Kagura said," since it's Saturday, would you like me to pick us all up in my car for a day on the town? We can go shopping, see a movie, just like old times, how does that sound?" A genuine smile lit up Kagome's face. Since he had never seen it before, Inuyasha looked at her in awe, he always wanted to see that smile.

'Sure,' Kagome signed back,' see you later!' And with that she put her helmet on, snapped down the visor and sped out of the parking lot to pick up Souta. "So that's who the new bike belongs to," Ayame said," I never pegged her for the bad girl type." "There's all sorts of types that ride motorcycles," Kagura said," don't forget that. Guardian has a special place in her heart." "Guardian?" Rin questioned. "Her bike's name," Kagura said," is Guardian Angel. It's not my place to tell you the story behind the name. Maybe if you earn her trust enough, she'll tell you herself. Now, I must be going." Kagura pulled a white feather out of her hair and threw it on the ground. Once the feather had become life sized, she stepped on it and flew away.

After picking up Souta from school, Kagome took them both home. She made Souta do his homework, his father got very mad if it wasn't done by the time he got home. She made him do it on the dining room table under her watchful eye as she made dinner.

"I'm home," Naraku called as he walked in the front door of his house. He spotted Souta sitting at the dining room table diligently doing his homework. He ruffled his son's hair as he walked by. Kagome was in the kitchen making dinner. "Kagome, how long?" he called, without so much as a hello. She paused and signed something. "She says it will be about five more minutes," Souta translated.

Naraku nodded as he went upstairs to change out of his work clothes and went back downstairs just as Kagome was dishing out the food. "How did the program on the laptop work today," he asked, taking a bite of his food. "It worked great, she says," Souta translated," she says thank you very much."

Naraku ignored the thanks. "Why are you in that form?" he asked, pointing to the two triangular ears that adorned the top of her head. Kagome looked ashamed for a moment. "You know I don't like you in that form," Naraku said," if your demon comes out with nothing to control it, what's to say that you won't hurt me or Souta or anyone else around?" Kagome hung her head, her eyes downcast.

"Where is your ring?" Naraku asked, his voice going cold and hard. Slowly, Kagome reached into the pocket of her jeans and drew out the ring that she normally wore on her left hand. "From now on," Naraku said," this stays on your finger 24/7. I don't care if you're getting beaten to death it stays on your hand. I don't want to have to go through all the shit of a lawsuit if something happens when you're in your demon form." Dejectedly, Kagome slipped the ring back in it's place and waited for the change to ensue.

Dinner was silent after that. When she had cleaned up dinner while Souta and Naraku watched TV in the other room, Kagome said good night and went up to her room. She changed into her pjs and laid awake for a long time, staring at her ring, contemplating. She knew how bad her sleep was going to be if she kept the ring on. Then again she also knew how bad Naraku's wrath would be if he found she had deliberately disobeyed his orders. But he was just watching out for her and Souta. In the end he just wanted to keep the two of them safe.

The next morning, Kagome was a wreck. She had been barely drifting off and then she would suddenly jolt awake like someone had shocked her. It went like this every thirty minutes to an hour throughout the night. She had gotten no sleep. She didn't look it she knew, the only give away would be that her eyes would go unfocused. She didn't know how she was going to make it through a day of shopping with Kagura and Kanna.

Naraku had left the house early that morning leaving Kagome to be the one to get her brother up. A devilish smirk crossed her face and she decided to wait until kagura and Kanna got there to wake up her little brother. She spent some time straightening up the house and making herself breakfast before the door bell rang at nine thirty.

She smiled when she opened the door and there stood Kagura and her little sister Kanna. From looking at the two of them, one never would have guessed that they were related. Kagura had jet black hair and red, demonic eyes while Kanna had pure, snow white hair and extremely pale skin. Kanna, not one to show her emotions much, flung herself at her long absent cousin in a tight hug.

"It's been way to long Kagome," Kanna said with a smile, look at what I can do!" Slowly, in halting sign language, Kanna began to sign the words,' I'm so happy to see you again.' She had gotten some of the signs mixed up and the facial expressions for some were wrong but Kagome was touched by the gesture none the less. 'Your sister is teaching you to sign?' Kagome asked with a smile. Kanna nodded, excitement blazing in her eyes.

"Hey, where's the squirt?" Kagura asked, looking around for Souta. 'He's still in bed,' Kagome signed, the devilish smile returning to her face. Kagura caught on to her 'sister's' plan in a flash as a twin devil smile made it's way on to her face. The two teens crept upstairs, a confused Kanna trailing behind them. They entered Souta's room where he lay, snoring on his bed. Kagome held up a hand, signing the number three then counted down to zero. On zero both girls pounced on the bed, jumping on it like little girls. Kanna caught on quickly and joined in as the teenage boy woke up, flinging very colorful language at the girls for the method they chose to wake him.

After Souta got awake enough another round of hugs ensued. Though if you count the things that Souta gave as 'hugs' then you'd kinda be pushing the definition. Either way, Souta was glad to see the two cousins he thought more of as sisters than anything else.

They spent the day on the town, Kagome laughing and smiling more than she had in a long time. Kagura promised that they would go out together one night, just the two of them and catch up on what had been happening in their lives since they had moved away. When Kagura finally dropped the two of them at home, Kagome had been so tired that she had gone straight to her room and fallen asleep.

She woke up the next day, having gotten no real sleep. She still couldn't crack her resolve to keep the ring on her finger. She went through the day as if in a fog. She was aware that she did her homework but she didn't know really what else she did. She crashed in her room and laid awake for hours looking at the ring on her hand. When she finally did get to sleep, it wasn't restful.

The way kagome had walked in to school the next morning instantly had Inuyasha worried. She didn't look anything but her normal self but he noted the fact that her eyes were unfocused and she used slow, languid movements to do things. In his eyes she looked exhausted. "Kagome, are you ok?" he asked as soon as she walked in to home room. She had just stared at him with those hazy, unfocused, brown eyes and then turned to go to her desk.

He wasn't the only one who noticed Kagome's disorientation. Just about everyone else in the gang noticed that something was wrong with the girl. The girls tried to get her to tell them what was wrong, why she looked so out of it, but they couldn't. Miroku had tried by signing the question but she had told him that she was fine, just a little tired was all.

Over the course of the day, everyone kept an eye on the tired girl. Sango caught her before she walked into a wall. Inuyasha kept her from falling out of her tree, though Kagome argued that it was technically his fault for startling her. Sesshomeru woke her up when she drifted off in Calc. And Koga caught her when she fell during a fight in gym class.

"There is no way in hell you're going to be able to make it home on that thing," Inuyasha growled at Kagome when she made to get on her bike at the end of the day. 'I need to pick up my brother,' Kagome signed. Since Miroku wasn't around, there was no one to translate for her so she had to write down the message on a sheet of paper instead.

"I'll pick up Souta from school," Kagura said going over to the two of them," you go home, get your homework done and get some sleep. I don't care what he tells you, take that god damn thing off." Inuyasha watched as Kagura said that and Kagome hung her head. Kagome signed something. "I don't care if he threatens to cut your ears off," Kagura growled," you're a wreck and if you let it bottle up for too long and something happens to let it out anyways, we'll have a massacre on our hands."

That made Inuyasha raise his eyebrows, was that a literal or figurative massacre? For some reason, he didn't want to find out. Kagome signed something else. "Good," Kagura replied," now be a good girl and let Inuyasha drive you home then go to bed. You can thank me later."

After Kagura had walked away Inuyasha turned to Kagome. "Let's get you home. Helmet on and hang on tight." With that he got into the driver's spot and Kagome climbed on behind him. With Kagome pointing him in the right direction, he managed to get her home safely. He made sure that she got the bike away and into the house alright before taking off to his own home.

"And where have you been?" a voice asked when Inuyasha walked in the front door. "Hello to you to dad," he grumbled," I was taking a friend home." "And this friend just happened to be a girl?" his father asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "The fuck if she is or isn't a girl, she was in no position to drive herself home so her cousin asked me to take her," Inuyasha growled, then his voice softened a bit," I know I'm already promised to another due to that damn prophecy. I will not disobey you or mother on this. The girl is no one you need to worry about.

He stomped up to his room then, slamming the door in his wake. That was the reason why his parents had made him break up with Kikiyo. At his birth his grandmother on his mother's side, Kaede, had given a prophecy. Kaede was a miko of great power. That is why everyone paid attention when she gave prophecies, they were never wrong. His parents were convinced she wasn't the girl of the prophecy. Inuyasha thought she was.

"Beware the two faced ones," he grumbled, staring up at the ceiling," for the face they show you and the world is never their true. A choice to be made between false and true, a decision between old and new. But beware the one who threatens what is yours for he plans to twist her true face and make her days be but few."

It was that damned prophecy that kept him chained, he never got any freedom. It didn't help that Sesshomeru went to the same school as he did. His brother updated his parents regularly on his activities regarding girls at school. When his parents had finally met Kikiyo and told him that they didn't like her he almost screamed. He liked her, wasn't that enough?

"The trouble with prophecies is that people are always trying to stick their noses where they don't belong. They end up screwing everything up so bad that the only person who can fix it is the person the prophecy is about and usually it can't be done without tons of heartbreak on their part." "You should stop your complaining," Sesshomeru said from the open doorway," or shall I tell mom and dad about the new girl?"

"Kagome means nothing to me like that!" Inuyasha exclaimed," and you know it!" "Do I?" Sesshomeru asked," actually I believe the most important question is do you?" "What do you mean?" "I've seen the way you look at her brother, when she was having those attacks," Sesshomeru said," you looked like your heart was breaking in two. You can stand to see her in pain. You were the first person this morning to realize something was wrong with her and once you saw something was wrong, you watched her like a hawk."

Across town, Kagome lay awake in bed staring at her ring. She had finally found the courage to wrench the circlet of medal off her finger. For the first time in three days she had felt the ripple of the change to her hanyou form. Relief surged through her, her human form always felt so weak and vulnerable, in her hanyou form she could defend herself from just about anything. Sleep over took her quicker than she could blink. Unknown to her but with the simple action of disobeying her step father she set into motion a chain of events that could spell her undoing.

The next morning Kagome walked into school feeling better than she had in ages. "So how long did you sleep last night?" Inuyasha asked, sliding into the seat next to her in homeroom. 'Fell asleep almost as soon as you dropped me off,' Kagome wrote in her notebook, which had gotten a lot more use since she came here. "You needed it, what was it your cousin told you to do?" Inuyasha asked, observing Kagome's reaction as she stiffened slightly then relaxed.

'Just something that my step father makes me not do when I go to sleep,' she wrote,' the only problem is that I can't sleep any other way so it's either deprive myself of sleep or disobey him.' "From the way you looked like the living dead yesterday, I say you disobey him," Inuyasha said. 'When would you ever not say to disobey the parents?' she wrote, causing Inuyasha to chuckle.

School went well, Kagome stayed awake and even spent lunch with Inuyasha and his group. She picked up Souta and went home. When she got there, she found a note from her step father. 'I'll be home late,' the note read,' so make yourself and Souta dinner and make the weekly shopping trip.' Kagome sighed, this was the one time when she wished whole heartedly that she owned a car. It was never fun to lug home the ton of groceries that the household needed with her and her bike didn't have the room. She told her brother where she was going, then left the house.

Two hours and three armfuls of groceries later, Kagome was making her way home trying not to drop anything. She was so absorbed in doing the task that she didn't notice the wrong turn she took, nor did she notice herself becoming surrounded by some shady characters. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" came a voice out of the shadows. 'Fuck,' Kagome thought,' this is not going to be pretty.' She dropped the bags by her side. 'Please don't hurt me,' she signed to them. They all looked shocked for a moment before sinister smiles spread across most of their faces.

"The gods must have smiled on us tonight boys," the same voice spoke again," we've got a deaf one in our trap. Pretty little thing isn't she." The man walked out of the shadows and over to Kagome, who slowly gripped her hands together. "And the ironic thing is," he spoke softly in her ear, his hot breath making her shiver," I won't have to tell you that no one will hear your screams because no matter how much you want to, you won't be able to scream."

Kagome made herself shiver, make it look like she was scared of these people, inside she was calmly collected and making note of anything that would be helpful. 'Ok, I'm human at the moment, there is no way in hell I can take one of these guys much less the eight or so there are right now,' she thought, her hand gripping the ring,' there's no innocent person in the area. Four of them are demons that could be a bit of a problem. Alright, no two ways about it, it's got to be done.'

In one swift movement the ring was off and clasped in her right hand fist. Her ears moved to their rightful place, her strength grew and her reflexes and speed became enhanced. She leapt up and over two of the men, better to get away than actually have to fight. One of the demons jumped up to meet her. She was going to have to fight after all.

And fight she did, it was her life on the line and she would be damned if she lost it. The hits and kicks and leaps all blurred together till she wasn't sure how long she fought the eight men. The one problem was that she didn't see the ninth sneaking up behind her and hitting her in the back of the head with such force that she lost consciousness. As she went down, her right hand opened and the ring flew out of it and back on her finger. It was a safety mechanism that had been built in. If she wasn't physically able to put the ring back in place, she could will it back on her hand. Her last thought before she blacked out was,' shit.'

End chapter 3

(Just kidding!)

Five blocks away, a silver haired hanyou caught the familiar scent of blood on the air. That alone would have stopped him short, but something else made him stiffen in fear. He knew the person the blood belonged and from the strength of the scent, that person had lost a lot of it. Without a thought, he raced to the scent. 'Goddamn it Kagome,' he thought,' don't die. Just hold on a little bit longer.'

When he got to her a minute later, he found her surrounded by nine guys, all in their late teens. Kagome was bruised and bloody and her clothes were torn and ripped. Her shirt had been ripped off and thrown away but thankfully, her jeans were still in place. Just the sight of anyone in that position would have had Inuyasha seeing red. But the sight of Kagome laying there, broken, bruised and unconscious had Inuyasha seeing red and dark blue and purple stripes emerging on his face. With a roar, he launched himself at the group.

When the fight was over, all of the men had fled. He had hurt them though, so much so that they would need to go to a hospital for their wounds if they wanted to live. Inuyasha's eyes returned to their normal gold as he knelt down beside Kagome's body. He felt for a pulse and was relieved when he felt it, faint but steady. He pulled off his jacket and draped it over her as he felt for wounds.

Most of the damage was cuts and bruises but he thought he felt a couple of cracked ribs. The back of her head was bleeding from where he assumed they snuck up on her. That thought was thrown out the window when he found blood that was not her own under her finger nails and bruising on her knuckles where she had hit them. 'She fought back,' he thought,' musta put up a hell of one if they needed to knock her out to keep her still.'

His first instinct was to gather her up in his arms and race for the nearest hospital. But that was quickly squashed when her remembered the first time they had mentioned taking her to the nurse and she had freaked out. Rin's place it was, the gang would be having their weekly movie night which was where he had been heading before he had gotten side tracked. She would know how to help her. With that decision made he quickly wrapped his jacket securely around her and ran with her to Rin's place.

Real end of chapter 3

**Alright guys listen up, I'm still looking for a beta. I already have one person who is willing to do it but i just thought i'd give everyone else a chance to volunteer before i go ahead and make my pick. If you're interested in the job, PM me please!**


	4. Chapter 4

**EEEKKK! Sorry for the late update but things got crazy around here over the weekend not to mention that the camp i'm working at is taking it's toll on me. Enough about me, time to read, but one last thing: I'm still in search of a beta. So far i have two prospective Beta's but as of now, the position is still open. **

**Enjoy and please review!**

It had started to rain as Inuyasha ran to the place where he knew he could get help. He stood on the front porch impatiently as he rang the door bell several times. "Let me in," he shouted. "God, impatient as ever," Rin said from the other side of the door, unlocking it," it's your own fault if you got caught out in the rain without a Jacket..." Her bright smiling face faltered when she caught sight of the bloody body Inuyasha held protectively in his arms. "Oh my god," she gasped," bring her in."

Inuyasha followed her into the house as Rin started barking orders like an army general. "Sango, I need my med kit from under the kitchen sink. The big yellow one, there should be about five yards of bandages in there but check and make sure. Ayame I need water, lots of clean towels and hydrogen peroxide out of the bathroom. Sesshomeru, go into my room in my drawers and grab a clean t-shirt. Miroku, I'm going to need you on this one. If you try anything perverted, I promise you I will tie your tongue in knots and castrate you am I understood? Koga, come here and take her from Inuyasha and lay her on the table, Inuyasha , go get cleaned up quickly and call Kagura."

Everyone did as they were told without question. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for one of the group to show up bloody, but it was the first time that Inuyasha had brought someone to her in such bad condition. Koga's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the shape Kagome was in. Inuyasha growled so low that only the other three demons in the house could hear him, but his message was perfectly clear as he gently handed Kagome over, hurt her or try anything and you'll wish you'd never been born.

He borrowed a spare shirt from Rin that kept in the house just for this purpose and got all the blood off of himself. "Rin, you got Kagura's number?" he asked. Sango handed him her cell phone. "She's on my basket ball team," she explained," call, tell Kagura the situation and ask if there's any health problems or allergies that we need to know about. Be quick."

He hated having to be the one to make the call but he was the only on free. Sango and Ayame were both handing stuff to Miroku and Rin and Koga and Sesshomeru were both making sure that Kagome didn't move. "Kagura, it's Inuyasha. There's been a bit of an accident."

He outlined what had happened and asked if there was anything they needed to know about her. Kagura didn't hear him, she was too busy cursing. "God damn it Kagura listen to me!" Inuyasha yelled into the phone," Kagome is in Rin's house right now slipping into worse and worse condition. We need to know this or else we can't treat her and then... then." "She's not allergic to anything," Kagura said," but don't try and heal her using spiritual powers. It'll give whoever's treating her a nasty shock as well as hurt her. Just stitch her up and give her medicine. Once you're done and she wakes up take her straight home. Don't try and keep her there with you guys. Drop her off and I'll take care of it from there."

Inuyasha snapped the phone shut and rushed into the kitchen where they were working on healing Kagome. "Miroku, don't use your powers on her," he half shouted," it'll hurt her." Miroku quickly snatched his hands away from where he was about to lay them on her to heal her. "It'll shock you and it'll hurt her worse," Inuyasha said," Kagura told me. She's not allergic to anything though, that's good. She said just to stitch her up and take her home once she wakes up. She said she'll watch her tonight."

"Alright," Rin said," get over here and help these guys hold her still." Inuyasha winced as he saw Rin push a needle into Kagome's skin, he had gotten sewed up enough times to know that that would hurt. He went over and put a hand on the arm Rin was working on. It was twitching away from the touch even though Kagome was asleep. "How bad's the damage?" Inuyasha asked. "Bad enough," Rin said as she tied off the string and began work on another cut," several long cuts that need stitches. Tons of bruising on her arms and face and chest from where they grabbed and hit her. There's the wound on the back of her head that was bleeding, I'm not sure if it gave her a concussion or not but it's possible. She has at least three cracked or broken ribs. She'll live but she's going to need some time to recover."

It was an hour later when they finally got everything bandaged and stitched up. Inuyasha sat on the couch in the living room cradling the still sleeping Kagome in his arms. A low, soothing growl had started up in his chest that seemed to calm her down a bit. "What happened Inuyasha?" Sango asked quietly, it had shaken them all up a bit to have Inuyasha come there with a badly beaten Kagome in his arms, who everyone in the group thought of as a friend, even if she didn't see them as it yet.

"I was walking here when I smelled blood," Inuyasha said," I found her surrounded by nine guys. They were trying to have their way with her but I got there before they could. I fought them off. I didn't kill any of them but I hurt them bad. I picked her up and brought her here to you. I knew she would never forgive me if I took her to a hospital." At the retelling of the story, he felt his demon rear up again and his golden eyes started to take on a reddish hue. 'She's safe,' he told himself,' calm the fuck down.'

"I will make a call," Sesshomeru said, standing up, his cell phone in hand. "Keep her name out of it," Inuyasha told his brother, a deadly glare on his face. Their eyes locked and the brothers came to a silent agreement, Sesshomeru wouldn't tell but Inuyasha owed him. As Sesshomeru went off to make the call, Inuyasha felt Kagome begin to stir in his arms. He held her tight as her eyes opened.

"Kagome," a familiar voice growled gently in her ear. She looked up and it took her mind a second to register who was speaking and where she was. 'Inuyasha,' she signed in question. "Found you unconscious in an ally," he said softly," I fought off the guys around you and brought you to Rin. You're at her house. She stitched you up and put bandages on everything. Do you understand?" To his relief, Kagome nodded her head and let out a small sigh.

Kagome lifted her hands and signed. Everyone looked to Miroku for translation. "She asked How bad?" "Had about seven long cuts that needed to be sewn up," Rin said," a few cracked ribs and you had several scratches and bruises all over you. Possible concussion but you won't be able to tell for sure until tomorrow at earliest." Another string of signs. "No, Inuyasha called Kagura and she told us not to use any power on you," Miroku answered. The signs came slower this time and Inuyasha could tell Kagome was tiring, using up what little energy she had woken up with. A low growl started in his chest as Miroku translated. "She wants to know what else Kagura told us." "To stitch you up, give you meds and take you home as soon as you woke up," Inuyasha told her," she said she would meet us at your place and would make sure you rested."

It was about fifteen minutes later when Inuyasha jumped up through Kagome's bedroom window at her insistence. He found Kagura already there, having set up a cot in the room right next to the bed, making it known that she was staying. "You are not getting rid of me tonight Kagome," Kagura said to the exhausted girl," Inuyasha just lay her down on the bed and head back out the window. I'll keep you updated on her condition tomorrow, she should be well enough to go to school the day after tomorrow."

Inuyasha nodded in understanding as he laid his precious charge on the bed as if her were holding a newborn child. "I promise you that I will keep you and the rest of the gang updated," Kagura said. "Hourly," Inuyasha growled. If Kagura was surprised at the protectiveness or the need to know that she would be alright, she didn't show it. "Hourly," she promised," now scoot. I need to get her ready for bed and she would kill me if any guy were in the room." With a grim smirk on his face, Inuyasha vaulted out the window.

"I know you're still awake Kags," Kagura said," now tell me where your pajamas are and get the god damn ring off." Kagome signed the information Kagura needed and pulled the ring off her finger. She felt the effects of her demon blood coursing through her as soon as the ring was off. This was the reason she hated the ring so much. Not because it concealed her appearance but because it sealed her blood. If she ever got hurt one of the side effects of having the ring on was the fact that it would take any demonic energy or miko or monk powers as a threat to her, zapping them with her own demonic energy and making her weaker in the process.

"The wounds should heal up by sometime tomorrow evening," Kagura chattered as she helped Kagome into her sleeping clothes," now you are going to go to sleep right now. You need to heal." For once Kagome couldn't form an argument that would hold up to her cousin/sister. She was already asleep.

He didn't know what it would serve, he had already chased away all the men that had dared hurt Kagome. But something had drawn him back to the ally way that he had found her broken and bloody in not two hours before. He growled when he caught the scent of blood in the air and saw it staining the ground. He wished he could have killed the bastards that did this.

He took another deep breath, hating the fact that Kagome's scent still lingered in the air mixed with her blood. Kagome's scent... Kagome's scent! Inuyasha's eyes flew open wide as he took another deep breath. Yes, part of her scent lingered in the air, but was strangely replaced by another scent. A fresher scent, Natural. The word flashed across his mind like a siren. The scent was strangely familiar. Like he had smelled it before but not on Kagome, on someone else. It had a slightly demonic presence to it.

**I know it's shorter than normal, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. At least I didn't give you a cliffy this time. Don't forget to review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry about leaving you guys without an update for so long. But would you believe me if i said that my last weekend was a circus, literally? So this story is probably going to be wrapping up within the next three or four chapters, maybe five, i'm not sure. **

**Happy reading! Please Review!**

Txt message from Kagura: Kagome slept through the night, has slight fever but going down. Still sleeping. sent at 8:47 a.m.

Txt message from Inuyasha: How high? Rin wants to know if any of the wounds are infected. Sent at 8: 48 a.m.

txt message from Kagura: Not high. 100 at most. Wounds don't seem to be infected. Gave her some meds. sent at 8: 53 a.m.

Txt message from Kagura: Woke up 11. I got some food in her. Fever down, now asleep. Sent at 11:22 a.m.

Txt message from Inuyasha: Did she eat enough? Was her head hurting her? Rin's worried she may have concussion. sent at 11: 23 a.m.

Txt message from Kagura: She doesn't have concussion. She ate as much as I could force down her which wasn't much. 11: 25 a.m.

Txt message from Inuyasha: She needs to eat. Should I come over and help after school? sent at 11: 26 a.m.

Txt message from Kagura: No. It's bad enough that I'm here with her. Another person is going to cause her worse stress. Need to go, she's waking. Sent at 1: 30 p.m.

Kagura sighed as she shut off her phone and looked over at the bed where Kagome was waking up. Her ears twitched at the slight movement Kagura made to sit by her bed. "You've been asleep since I fed you lunch," Kagura said when she saw Kagome's eyes open," it's been about two hours since then." Kagome's eyes had gone a crimson red color, her irises ringed in dark blue. Kagura recognized her friend even in her demon form.

"It has been a long time since you've taken this form," Kagura said. "It has been a long time since my mistress has let her guard down enough for me to come out," Kagome's demon said," I do not see why she denies her true form when it is more powerful." "Because it is also the more dangerous form for others," Kagura said," there is no telling what you will do if angered beyond the breaking point." "There is never any telling with demons," Kagome replied," but she can speak in this form."

"She's never told me why she can't speak in her other form." "Because she does not know," the demon replied," she does not know the curse on her that prevents her from speaking." "Curse?" Kagura asked alarmed," what curse? Who put it on her? How the hell do we get the thing off?" "I'm not allowed to say, it is one of the side effects of the curse. I may be able to talk but the subjects are limited. I can talk about the curse but not what type or who cast it though I know the information." "Fuck," Kagura spat out.

She was not ignorant to the in's and out's of spell working as most would think her to be, being a demon. Her 'Dance of Blades' was a working of a wind spell, as well as all of her other attacks. She knew most of the basics of curses and counter curses and protective spells and attack spell, but not as much as a miko or monk would. "Fuck," she said again. "As amusing as it is to hear you curse, there are other things that would be more productive at this time. It will not be long before my mistress has the energy to bring me back to heel inside her."

"What would your idea be of productive?" "When she wakes up make sure she eats. She does not eat enough, barely enough to satiate her hunger. Make sure she signs, or speaks or whatever you want to call it. Don't let her chase the other hanyou away. He will be good for her. Make sure she keeps the trapping ring off at night. Make sure she lives." Kagura sighed at the cryptic words of the demon. She was about to demand an answer to her question when the demon spoke first. "My mistress is calling me back, I must go. Do Not Forget what I have told you. Good luck, you and she will need it."

With that Kagome closed her eyes, and went back to sleep.

"I thought I told you not to come over," Kagura hissed. Right after school, Inuyasha had shown up on Kagome's doorstep, right after Kagura had told him not to come over. "I just want to make sure she's alright!" Inuyasha protested. "I know you do," Kagura said," and I know that everyone's worried about her but she won't let anyone come and see her. Not in the state she's in. It just adds to her stress level." "Now I know you're just making that up," Inuyasha growled, trying to push past the wind demoness.

Kagura sighed and rubbed her temples. "Listen to me," She snapped," You don't know Kagome as well as I do. She hates people seeing her when she's hurt or sick. No one knows why but it triggers her primal fight or flight instincts. You go in there, even take just a peek to check on her and there's a chance she goes bezerk." "How?" "Have you ever heard about when an animal in the wild gets hurt they'll try and find some place small and secluded because it's easier to defend? That's what she does. She runs and goes off into the woods and finds someplace like that."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked, becoming even more worried for the girl. "No one knows." Lie, they did know. It had to do with the fact that Kagome was hanyou. "She'll be back at school tomorrow," Kagura continued," you can check on her to your heart's content then." Lesson learned, wind demons are very stubborn when they want to be.

Kagome woke up around four the next morning and couldn't get back to sleep. "Are you feeling better?" Kagura asked her when she woke up a few minutes later after hearing Kagome moving around the room. 'Much,' Kagome signed,' everything is healed and there is no infection?' "Everything healed up fine," Kagura said," Inuyasha was here yesterday. He's worried about you."

Kagome looked away from her cousin and a look of pain crossed her face. "He really is worried," Kagura said," all of your friends are." 'No,' Kagome signed furiously, cutting off her cousin,' no. Not friends.' "But they care about you," Kagura said," they want to be your friends." 'No. No friends. Friends hurt. Friends betray.' Kagome looked down, not wanting Kagura to see the tears welling in her eyes from the memories she was experiencing.

Kagura went over to sit on her cousin's bed as Kagome came over to her, still crying. "You never did get to tell what happened after we moved away eight years ago," Kagura murmured, trying to soothe her cousin. Their mothers were sisters and when they had each gotten married, they had moved into houses right across the street from one another. Kagura had been born first, Kagome second. Kagome's biological father died when she was five, young enough that she didn't remember him very well, but old enough that she remembered him a bit. Less than a year after his death, she had married Naraku. They lived happily for a year but it wasn't to last. Kagome's mother grew sick and died when Kagome was eight. That same year, Kagura's family had moved away. The two cousins hadn't seen or heard from each other in years.

'Life was never good,' Kagome signed,' people hated me for what I was. I had no friends and those that I did have betrayed me and used me for amusement. I was beat up almost every day after school. I never fought back because I was too scared my beast would come out and hurt or kill someone.' Kagome broke down, crying harder as Kagura held her, now noticing the scars that marred her sisters body. The very same scars that she tried so desperately to hide.

There was one on her arm, it was very old, probably one of the oldest. There were others on her back and shoulders. When Kagura looked closer she saw that some of them were places where people had carved words into the skin. Bitch was on the back of her neck. Half-breed was on her left bicep. The worst one was Slut written just over Kagome's heart. 'Beatings, torture, rape,' Kagome signed,' all because I was weak and couldn't fight back. All because of what I am. That is why I don't dare reveal my true form here or make friends. They just get you into trouble.'

Kagura left to get ready for school, Kagome having to assure her numerous times that she was fine and she didn't need a baby sitter. She got dressed and went downstairs to make sure Souta was up and to make herself some breakfast. On the dining room table she found a note from Naraku. 'I heard that you were out of school yesterday. I expect all work to be made up along with any tests and extra credit work. The ring stays on. If I find out you took it off there will be consequences.'

Kagome dropped Souta off at his school then raced to hers, determined to get to first period without drawing the attention of any of Inuyasha's group. She made it through the parking lot and into the building without being spotted. She sighed when she got to her locker, she was going to make it! She cursed inwardly when the stupid thing didn't open right away. Second time she heard the click of it opening. She had just shoved her books in her locker and re-locked it when someone spun her around. With a sickening sense of deja vu, Kagome found herself looking straight into a pair of very worried amber gold eyes.

"Are you alright Kagome," Inuyasha asked, breathing in deeply. He wanted to make sure that all the cuts were closed and that he couldn't smell infection on her. 'I'm fine,' Kagome signed, a pit growing in her stomach,' now I need to get to class!' With that she shoved around him and started walking defiantly to her homeroom. "You do realize that we have the same first period," Inuyasha said, hurrying to catch up with her," you can't get rid of me that easily." Kagome gave him a sign that even he didn't need interpreted and stomped ahead.

She ignored the worried questions and glances for the morning, shooting angry glares when she finally got fed up and signed,' I am not a glass doll. I don't break that easily! I'm fine now quit asking!' They had let up on her after that, sticking to glancing worriedly in her direction when they thought she wasn't looking.

At lunch time Kagome was once again up in her tree. She had her lunch on her lap and was staring at it. 'You really do need to eat,' she thought to herself. Her stomach growled in agreement, the granola bar from breakfast was long gone. 'But I really don't feel like it,' she thought with a mental sigh. It had been like this for a long time now. She was hungry, her stomach could tell her that, but at the same time she just couldn't bring herself to eat. She finally compromised and made herself eat her yogurt and then put the rest of her lunch back in her bag.

"Aren't you going to eat?" a voice from below her asked. In shock Kagome looked down to see Inuyasha climbing up to her branch. 'Demon!' her mind screamed. Out of reflex, she pushed her back so hard into the tree trunk that it hurt. "I'm not going to hurt you Kagome," Inuyasha said, his voice so soft and gentle that Kagome wished she could believe it. Wished that this person truthfully was worried for her, wished that he could be her friend.

"I'm serious I'm not going to hurt you Kagome," Inuyasha said," I just wanted to make sure you were alright." 'I told you earlier that I was fine,' Kagome signed. "Kagome, I don't understand sign language," Inuyasha said, pointing to a notebook," could you write it down for me." He waited patiently for Kagome to write what she had just signed. "I know what you said," Inuyasha said," but I don't trust you to not put on a brave face. Remember I was the one who found you. I saw all those cuts that you got, even if you're a quick healer by human standards you'll be in pain since it's only a couple of days later."

'If only you knew,' Kagome thought to herself. 'Why do you keep worrying about me? I'm just little miss nobody mute girl, no one special.' Inuyasha frowned when he read the last message. "What do you mean nobody?" he said. 'Exactly what I said,' Kagome wrote. "But you're someone to us," Inuyasha said," You're our friend." That comment seemed to put Kagome into shock. She stared at the inu hanyou in front of her with wide eyes. 'Why is that so hard for her to believe?' Inuyasha thought to himself.

'You guys think of me as a friend?' Kagome wrote so quickly that Inuyasha had trouble deciphering her handwriting. "Of course," Inuyasha said," why wouldn't we?" Kagome just continued to look at him with those wide, incredulous eyes of hers. 'I don't have friends,' she wrote in her notebook. "Then what do you call Kagura?" 'Sister,' Kagome wrote,' closer than, if there is such a thing. She knows all my secrets and I know hers.' "Why do you say you don't have friends? Didn't you have any at your old school?"

'No, at my old school no one would even talk to me much less want to be friends. Most just hated me for the simple fact that I was alive.' "But you had to have had some friends," Inuyasha protested. 'None that I would call friends now,' Kagome wrote, her heart heavy. "Well what happened?" Inuyasha asked. The final word that Kagome wrote chilled Inuyasha to the core. 'Betrayal.'

Kagome refused to talk after that. The only thing she would say would be to leave her alone. "You're going to have to talk sometime Kagome," Kagura said while they were running laps in gym. 'Yea, but not to them. They're getting way too close for comfort,' Kagome signed back. "Kagome," Kagura said, lowering her voice," you have noticed what Inuyasha is." 'Of course I've noticed, I'm not stupid,' Kagome signed bitterly. "So why are you so scared of being friends with them?" 'One, I've already lied to them about what I am. Do you really think they'll forgive me for that? Two, even if they accept him for what he is, the rest of the school doesn't really. And three I'm still not allowed to take this damned ring off!'

"But if they really want to be your friends, they'll accept you for who you are and forgive you for lying to them," Kagura pointed out. 'Where's the guarantee?' Kagome asked,' and where's the guarantee that even if I do show my true form to them, the rest of the school will be as accepting? I've been betrayed more times than I care to count. You're asking me to reopen old wounds that haven't been healing on the off chance that this time I might be able to get them to heal correctly.'

While Kagome and Kagura argued, Miroku, Sango, Rin, Ayame and Inuyasha lagged behind them in the laps, Miroku translating what Kagome was signing. Since no one could hear what Kagura was saying the part of the conversation that they got was a little one sided. "That's what she told me earlier while we were sitting in the tree," Inuyasha said. "What does she mean by true form," Sango asked," does it mean that she doesn't look like this?" "And what's up with the ring?" Ayame asked," it's just a piece of jewelry, why is someone so concerned about it coming off?" "And who is them?" Rin asked.

Everyone went silent for a moment before Inuyasha had an epiphany. "It's us," he said," she's talking about us." "What do you mean?" Miroku asked, thoroughly confused. "I asked her during lunch why she kept pushing us away. I told her that we were her friends. She said she didn't have friends." "What?" Rin gasped. "I told her that we were her friends," Inuyasha continued," she just looked at me like I had just told her the meaning of life. She said that she had been betrayed in her past." "And what has that got to do with us?" Sango asked. "She's telling Kagura that she's going to keep pushing us away," Inuyasha explained," it's a safety mechanism for her to keep from getting herself hurt again. I wonder how bad she was hurt in her past that she isolates herself from everyone now."

After school, Inuyasha watched Kagome hop on her motorcycle and speed off then he went in search of someone else. "Why does she keep pushing us away," Inuyasha asked Kagura when he found her," what was so bad that happened to her that she won't let herself be happy?" Kagura looked at Inuyasha, contemplating something. Then a small, sad smile crossed her face. "It's not my place to say what happened to her or give her secrets to you," Kagura said," but I can say that if you take a good look at yourself, you should be able to see her. Kagome has two faces, one she shows the world and one that's kept locked up inside. Be careful with her, as much as she puts on a tough exterior, she's very fragile inside."

Kagura took her feather out of her hair and flew off on it, leaving Inuyasha stunned and confused. 'Two faces,' he thought, turning the phrase over and over in his head. Of course it could have just been a fluke that Kagura used that phrase to describe Kagome. But something in his gut was telling him not to ignore it, that it wasn't just a coincidence, there was no such thing. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice that there was someone standing in front of him until he almost ran her over.

"Watch where you're going Inuyasha," Kikiyo cried in dismay," It's not like you to be this out of it, what gives?" "What are you doing here Kikiyo?" Inuyasha asked, ignoring her question. "I came to see how my boyfriend," she stressed the word," is doing because I haven't had a chance to see him in a while." "Kikiyo, I already told you that we were over, can't you get that through your head?" Inuyasha asked. "No I can't," Kikiyo said," because this is the first time that you've ever listened to your parents on something like this and it just isn't you. Which leads me to the conclusion that you were just trying to put up a smoke screen for your brother and in the off hours when we aren't being watched we can be together!"

She smiled and clasped Inuyasha's arm. "You thought I wasn't going to figure it out!" she said. "No Kikiyo," Inuyasha said, taking Kikiyo's arm off of his," I meant what I said. We're over." "Stop it Inuyasha!" Kikiyo shouted," we've been going out for years and then the day that little bitch shows up you suddenly dump me. At first I thought it was just a fluke but now I see that it wasn't. That little girl stole you from me." "No," Inuyasha said quickly," Kagome doesn't mean anything to me like that. She's just a friend and nothing more. You're absolutely right that it is a fluke that she came on the day I planned to break up with you."

"Then why the hell did you break up with me then?" Kikiyo screeched, drawing the attention of almost everyone on the street. "Because my parents said that I had to," Inuyasha said," because I'm not allowed to be dating anyone. I'm really sorry." Kikiyo looked at him in amazement and then gave a scream like a child throwing a tantrum, stomped her foot and turned away on her heel. Could this day get any better?

"And where have you two been?" a voice asked as Kagome and Souta walked through the front door of the house. "Just school and then here," Souta said," we aren't that late." "No you aren't," Naraku said, a soft smile on his face," Souta why don't you head up to your room and change? Kagome, I believe dinner is waiting to be made."

Kagome let out an almost inaudible sigh as she dropped her book bag on the ground by the front door and went into the kitchen. She was the only person in the house who could actually cook so it only made sense that she was the one who did most of the cooking. But she really wished that Naraku wouldn't jump on her to get dinner cooked as soon as she walked into the house. "Now Kagome," Naraku said walking into the kitchen," I do hope that I made myself clear that day when I said that you were never allowed to take the ring off?" Kagome hurriedly nodded her head, it would not do to get Naraku angry at her. "So I'm sure the lesson need not be reiterated?" Naraku continued.

Had he found out that she was taking the ring off every night so she could get to sleep? If he had there was going to be a world of horror. But Naraku didn't start yelling at her or anything, he simply caught up the hand that had the ring on it and stared at it for a moment. Kagome held her breath, afraid that anything she did would give away the secret that she kept from her step father. "See that you keep what I said in mind," He said, dropping her hand and thereby allowing Kagome to breathe again," I would hate to find out that you had been disobeying me." The smile that he gave her was tight and held no feeling, then he turned and walked away.

That night just before she fell asleep, Kagome stared looking at her ring which she had just taken off. With her sharpened eyesight, she could see fine even in the dark room. She was scared that in a moment her step father would storm into her bedroom with fire in his eyes and smoke coming out of his ears and give her hell. She was fairly sure that wouldn't happen but still you could never be sure. She slept with one eye open that night.


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright guys here's the next installment of The Face I show the World. It's not my longest chapter but it's what I've got. Happy reading and please don't forget to review.**

"You left the thing on last night didn't you," Kagura hissed when she caught sight of Kagome the next day in gym class. 'I swear to you on all that I have, I did not leave the ring on last night. It stayed on my bedside table all night, I just couldn't sleep.' Most people couldn't tell if she had only had one night's bad sleep, she would look exactly the same as she always did, not a hair out of place. The only thing to give it away would be her eyes glazing over. But Kagura knew her so well that with just one look she could tell that she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.

"What's this about a ring?" Miroku asked, having "listened" in on the conversation," is someone getting married?" The look that the two girls shot him was one that had him shivering in spite of himself from the coldness of it. "No, we were talking about the ring that Kagome's mother gave her for her birthday one year," Kagura said. "Then why were you talking about sleeping with it on?" Miroku asked. Could this be he was close to the secret that the two of them seemed intent on keeping from the rest of him and his friends?

'Can you just keep your nose out of places where it doesn't belong?' Kagome signed, her glare going from chilling to searing with heat in no time. Miroku held his hands up in a sign of defeat. "What's going on over here?" Sango asked, coming over," is he bugging you two?" "He's Miroku, what do you think?" Kagura asked. "What's going on with Miroku?" asked Kouga as he and Ayame walked over. 'He's being an ass, what else if new?' Kagome signed as Miroku hesitantly translated. "Never knew a time when he wasn't," Inuyasha said coming up behind Kagome, earning him a glare.

Inuyasha sent a confused look over Kagome's head to Kagura. She gave him a shake of the head that anyone else wouldn't have noticed. They would need to talk later. "Hey guys!" Rin, way too exuberant for her own good, bounced over to the group as Sesshomeru followed at a slower speed," what's up?" "We were just talking about how Miroku's an ass," Kouga said," but what else is new?" Kagome just rolled her eyes as she listened to the conversation. She was so tired she could just fall asleep on her feet right there.

Her eyes started to close and her body started to pitch forward, before she could catch herself, two strong arms wrapped around her and brought her back upright. "Kagome, you ok?" a concerned voice asked in her ear. She nodded her head tiredly. 'Stayed up late studying,' she signed,' sleep's catching up with me.' "You shouldn't drive yourself home today if you're this tired," Kagura said. Kagome gave her a look that would have burned her sister if she hadn't been so tired, as it was all it did was peel paint. "I'll take you if you need it Kagome," Inuyasha said," Kagura can pick up your brother today. You need your sleep."

This time Kagome didn't even try to argue. Inuyasha got a look in his eye that was familiar as she had often used it herself. It was a look that said 'I am more stubborn than you are so don't even try.' She allowed Inuyasha to drive her home on her motorcycle. "Now you finish your homework and go right to sleep," Inuyasha told her as he helped her roll the bike into the garage. Kagome gave him a look that said 'yes mom.'

As Inuyasha was leaving, Kagura arrived with Kagome's little brother and Kagura's little sister on her feather. "Bye Kanna, Bye Kagura," the boy called. Then he caught sight of Inuyasha coming out of the garage. "Who are you?" the boy had suspicion in his eyes. "My name's Inuyasha," he said. "Souta I can vouch for him," Kagura said," he's ok." The kid still looked at him with guarded eyes. "I'm in a couple of your sister's classes at school," Inuyasha explained," Kagome was really tired at school today so I offered to drive her home. I'm a friend of hers." "My sister doesn't have friends," Souta said," she said so herself." "Just because she doesn't look as us as friends, doesn't mean that we don't see her as one," Inuyasha said.

"Alright," Kagura said," I hate to cut this short but Souta you need to get inside before your father gets suspicious." Souta flashed a brief smile at his cousin before giving a frown to Inuyasha and headed inside. "You and I need to talk Kagura," Inuyasha said," I need an answer to a couple of questions." Kagura sighed, she knew this day was going to come sooner or later. She had seen the way Inuyasha treated Kagome the past couple of weeks at school, he looked out for her well being and was often the first person to notice when something was wrong. He cared for her more than anyone ever had before. Kagura knew that her sister couldn't get any better than the son of the dog demon tribe. It was a match made in heaven, two hanyou dog demons.

"Alright fine," Kagura said," Kanna do you mind if we walk home today?" Her little sister nodded her head as the three of them began to walk away. "Now, let's just get a couple of things straight," Kagura began," I've already promised my cousin that I would never tell a soul about some of the things I am going to say. That being said there are things which I am bound to keep secret because I must. Alright?" "Understood," Inuyasha said, his face more serious than anyone had ever seen it," I just want to make sure she's ok." "I do too, that's why I'm going to tell you this," Kagura said," first question."

"What's wrong with her throat?" Inuyasha asked," those attacks that she has at school are god awful." "Truthfully no one knows," Kagura answered, her eyes down cast," not even the doctors can pinpoint what causes them or even stop them fully." "Ok, what's with the ring?" Inuyasha asked," what does it do?" That made Kagura sigh and rub her temples as if a headache was coming on. "Remember the things that I had to keep secret? Well this is one of them. I know what the ring is and what it does but I'm not allowed to say. Kagome is the only person that can tell you." "Is there anything that you can tell me then," Inuyasha asked desperately," I know the ring had something to do with the set of days when Kagome came in looking almost dead she was so tired." "Ok. If she sleeps with it on she can't sleep. It's like she'll barely drift off before something jolts her awake, think of it like you on your human night."

That brought Inuyasha on his guard, but before he could say anything Kagura cut him off. "I know your hanyou and therefore I know you have a human night. No I don't know when it is. I do have a friend who is half demon and it feels like she's vulnerable, she can never get any sleep on that night. Next question." "Why is she so scared all the time?" Inuyasha asked," every time she comes near me or Kouga or Ayame or Sesshomeru she cowers in fright. I've been able to get out of her that she's had bad experiences with demons in the past but I want to know what happened."

Kagura gave a tight, grim smile. "I don't know exactly but what I do know is enough to get just about anyone's blood boiling. At her old school, people used to hate her. You think the name calling she got here before you guys put a stop to it is bad, you should have seen what they did to her at her old school. She told me people used to beat her up, they used to hurt her." "Did they ever..." Inuyasha trailed off before he found his nerve again," did they ever try to rape her?" It came out as no more than a quiet whisper. "I think a few tried from what she said but I hope not. I don't think anyone succeeded." Inuyasha let out a sigh of relief. "What was she like as a kid?"

"Happy carefree," Kagura answered with a smile," she loved her little brother and my little sister, we always used to volunteer for babysitting duty. Her father adored her and her mother loved her with every fiber of her being. Of course they loved each other too." "When did she stop speaking?" "After her mother died," Kagura answered," about three years after her half brother was born." Kagura saw Inuyasha's confused look. "Her real father died when we were both really young. A little later her mother married her step father, Naraku. Shortly afterwards her little brother was born and her mother died. Souta is the only close family she has left anymore."

Inuyasha didn't like the sound of that. He had heard far too many horror stories about step parents who were perfectly loving of their own kids but absolutely refused to accept the kids of their new spouse as their own. "How does Naraku treat her?" "Honestly, fairly well. Of course, he's almost never around, leaving Kagome to raise her little brother but when he is around he's nice. Strict." Inuyasha caught the underlying hint in the words. "You don't like him," he said. Kagura sighed, she was doing that a lot today. "There's no reason why I should," she said," but for some reason he just always gives me a bad vibe. And I really don't understand why her mother married him. She loved Kagome's father with all her heart and when he died no one thought she would ever marry again, especially not so soon after his death."

Ok, that was what it was and Inuyasha was just going to have to live with it, for now. "Did she ever try to fight back," Inuyasha asked," when those people were doing those things to her at her old school, did she ever fight to get away?" "No," Kagura answered," she never wanted to. She was afraid of what would happen if she did." "Would happen to her?" "No, what would happen to the people fighting her." "That doesn't make any sense. She's getting hurt, she better try and get away, if the people around her hurting her get hurt. I say good riddance." Kagura gave a tight lipped smile.

"You've been asking me all these questions, it's only fair that I get to ask you one," Kagura said, glancing at Inuyasha. He knew what Kagura was going to ask. Why Kagome, probably. Or possibly even why he broke up with Kikiyo right after Kagome showed up. "What do you feel when you see her hurt?" Kagura asked," when she's having an attack or that time when you found her being beaten, what did you feel?" Inuyasha looked in Kagura's eyes and found that he couldn't look away. He had to answer truthfully or she would rip him to shreds was what those eyes were telling him. "Like I'm getting ripped up from the inside out," he answered," I hate seeing anyone hurt but her especially for some reason. I hate seeing her hurt and her tears hurt me even more."

Kagura contemplated him for a few moments before looking away, allowing Inuyasha to finally look away from her. "You were expecting me to ask why her," Kagura said," I don't need to know, you never know why someone. You just know you do. I just wanted to make sure you would never willingly hurt her. From your answer, you just passed." That made sense, all Kagura wanted was to see her sister safe. "Here's where we split up," Kagura said, indicating the two separate paths they were to take," one last thing. She's going to keep pushing you away, don't let her. Please don't let her push you guys away." "I promise you I won't Kagura," Inuyasha said," no matter how many times she tries to push me away I'll just come back." The look of relief on Kagura's face was scary. "Thank you," she said quietly," you don't know how much that means to me. Come on Kanna!"

'I promise I'm not gonna let her push me away,' Inuyasha thought as he stared after the wind demoness,' I swear to you that I will make sure she's alright.'

The next morning Kagome woke up feeling refreshed and the best she had ever felt since moving to the new town. She got dressed as fast as she could before going into her brother's room to wake him up for school. He wasn't very happy about the cold shower she gave him in bed. But he got her back for it at breakfast time when he managed to dump the contents of his gym bag all over her. She was less than thrilled about having to smell like sweat and unwashed gym socks for the day.

Inuyasha met her at her locker as he had been doing lately. For once she didn't greet him with 'Go away' but rather looked at him and then went back to getting her stuff out of her locker. Well this was a pleasant change to say the least. Inuyasha wisely kept his mouth shut, he didn't want to spoil whatever mood had made her like this.

Inuyasha grinned to himself all throughout the day as he kept an eye on Kagome. She actually allowed the girls to walk with her to some of her classes, not only that but she also had a civilized conversation with Miroku. "What's up with her today?" Koga asked," not that I don't mind the attitude change but I would like to know what sparked it." "Maybe she finally got tired of being so depressed all the time," Rin said, watching Miroku and Kagome's hands flying," maybe she finally accepted us as friends." "Not likely," Sesshomeru said," we have done nothing to earn her trust to give us that label. I think she's just accepting that we want to be her friends and that she can't get rid of us." "Way to kill the mood Sesshy," Rin grumbled.

Kagome disappeared up her usual tree for lunch but didn't say anything when Inuyasha followed her up shortly after. She had her lunch in her lap, untouched and she was staring off into the horizon. She looked completely peaceful and at ease, like she was as free as a child and not a care in the world. Inuyasha watched as she ate an apple and then packed up the rest of her lunch into her bag. "Aren't you going to eat anything else?" he asked. She was just recovering from a rough beating, she needed to be eating more than that to keep up her strength. Kagome shook her head.

'I'm never hungry at lunch time,' she wrote in her notebook. "Still, hungry or not you should eat more," Inuyasha said," how else are you going to keep up your energy and strength if you don't?" Kagome shrugged but didn't comment further. They sat there like that for a time before Kagome gave a frown. Before Inuyasha could ask what was wrong she had already gather up her bag and had begun swinging herself out of the tree.

She landed on the ground with a barely audible 'thump' and stared towards the doors to the school. Everyone else looked at her, then at Inuyasha who landed behind her less than a second later, with confused eyes. Kagome ignored them and continued to stare at the doors till Inuyasha started to get surprised that there weren't holes forming. About a minute later the doors flew open and two boys walked out.

One was tall with a long black braid down his back. The other was, while obviously a boy, wearing lipstick and talking in a faux feminine voice. "Oh, I heard about them," Ayame said," they're the new students. They just moved here." Almost no one heard her. They were all too busy watching the new boys from across the lawn. They watched with shock as the two made a beeline straight for the group.

Inuyasha stole a glance at Kagome and saw that her face was completely drained of color, making her look like a clown who had done his makeup too pale. She was gaping at the two boys with fear filled eyes. They came to a stop right in front of the small group. The boy with the long braid was smirking and his eyes were twinkling with something that Inuyasha definitely didn't like. Kagome grew even paler if possible and seemed to shrink into herself. "Hello Kagome," the boy said, his smirk growing wider," It's been too long."

**Please Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok guys. I do have to admit that if it weren't for two reviews that I received in my inbox saying please finish this story, you guys probably wouldn't have had an update. I am very sorry I have left you all with such a cliffy for so long and fully intend to finish this story. I do have a big favor to ask you all. Please just tell me what you think of this chapter. I've entered the point of the writing that is very hazy in my mind and I know it's affected my writing. If you all could please just tell me what you think of it and if you have any suggestions for me I'm open. **

Two things happened simultaneously after the boy said that. Inuyasha gave a feral growl and pushed Kagome behind him. The snarl on his face alone was enough to make the two boys step back. The second thing that happened was a gale force wind picked up and Kagura appeared in front of Kagome, next to Inuyasha and giving a second line of defense. A tinge of color had returned to Kagome's face, but her pupils were dilated and she had stared to hyperventilate slightly. Everything about her was the very epitome of fear.

"Bankotsu," Kagura spat, the word like venom in her mouth," what the hell are you doing here?" The boy with the braid eyed Kagura, grinning demonically. "I live here Kagura," he said," I go to school here now same as you." "Not what I meant bastard," Kagura hissed, checking out of her peripherals to be sure that Kagome was safely behind her," I meant what are you doing with my cousin." "Saying hello to my little bitch," Bankotsu replied with a bone chilling laugh," and making sure she didn't replace me while I was gone, which I see she has." "Fuck off," Kagura growled," I catch you in the same room as Kagome and your going to find your head cut off for a second time."

By this time Rin and Miroku had come forward to flank Kagome, Rin keeping a careful eye on the terrified girl. Sesshomeru's claws were glowing green, getting ready to summon a poison whip if needed. Koga and Ayame's claws were out and at the ready and Sango was standing behind Kagome with Hrikotsu with her. She looked intent on using it on someone.

"Come now Kagura," Bankotsu said," why don't we give your little cousin a chance to speak for herself. I'm sure she's happy to see me." Bankotsu stared intently at Kagome. Inuyasha was itching to grab Kagome and twirl her into his arms and growl the low soothing growl that he remembered as a child always told him that everything was going to be alright. She was looking like the ghost of Christmas future had come and told her of her death. Kagura looked at her hands and found that Kagome had a death grip on her ring.

Inuyasha growled like a lion. It was enough to move the two teens another five steps away from the group. "Stay away from her," he growled. "So my little bitch did exactly what I told her not to," Bankotsu said, giving a glare the promised death to Kagome," she went out and replaced me. I told you that I was going to be the only one and I meant it Kagome. Now come here like a good little bitch." Miroku grabbed one of Kagome's arms to keep her in place and Kagura took a threatening step forward. "Get out of here Bankotsu," she hissed," no one wants you here." A wind started up, whipping around everyone. It pushed Bankotsu and the other boy back but did nothing but ruffle anyone else's hair. "This isn't over bitch," he sneered," I will be back."

After they left everything in the courtyard was silent for a few moments before Miroku, ever the joker, decided to break the ice. "Well that sounded like a line from a bad action movie," he said. No one laughed. Inuyasha looked at kagome, she was shaking like a leaf and looking a bit relieved to finally be out of the boy's sight. "Kagome, are you alright?" Kagura asked, looking worriedly at her sister. Without warning Kagome launched herself at the wind demoness and held on to her for dear life.

Kagura held her and spoke softly to her as she calmed down. "What the hell just happened?" Inuyasha asked, worried and a bit scared about Kagome's reaction to the two teens. "Bankotsu was one of the people who used to tease and bully Kagome the most at our old school," Kagura explained as she held Kagome," I'm going to assume he got worse once I wasn't there to stand up for her." 'He hurt me,' Kagome signed, tears glistening in her eyes,' he hurt me. Kagura I'm scared.'

Inuyasha looked to Miroku for translation and knew from the look on his face that whatever Kagome had said had not been good. A low, feral and utterly savage growl tore out of Inuyasha's throat. "Brother, calm yourself," Sesshomeru said sharply. No one was sure how Kagome was going to react to the growl that tore out of Inuyasha but none of them were prepared for what she did. She pushed herself away from Kagura's arms and walked over to Inuyasha. Slowly, so her movements didn't startle him in the precarious state he was in with his demon, Kagome tilted her head to the side in a sign of submission. That was all Inuyasha needed to wrap his arms around her and put his nose to the side of her exposed throat.

Kagome twisted in his arms a bit, ignoring his growls as she turned so she could face the astonished group. Inuyasha stopped as she settled back into his arms again. 'His demon was beginning to come out,' she signed,' he felt a friend being threatened and he wanted to protect that person. Only the sight and smell of that person safe and sound would calm him and make his inner demon recede.'

Kagome could barely hold back a smirk as everyone, including Kagura, looked at her with open mouths. Sango was the first one to get her mouth working properly. "Where did you learn so much about demons?" She asked. "The better question is where she learned so much about inu demons," Sesshomeru said. 'I know people,' Kagome signed as Kagura translated,' one of the people I know is an inu demon. You pick things up.'

Kagome could feel herself relaxing in Inuyasha's grip as he growled in the way that reminded her of what her father used to do when she had trouble sleeping. She was surprised at this because she couldn't remember the last time that she had ever relaxed in someone's presence like that. Excepting Kagura of course.

Kagura, for her part, was surprised by her younger cousin. She had thought that Kagome would have been very hesitant being around Inuyasha while he began his transformation into demon form. He probably reminded her of herself when she transformed. Kagura fought to keep a smile from creeping across her face, the two of them were perfect for each other, whether they realized it or not. Now the only thing that could possibly keep them apart was…

"Inuyasha!" a sing-song voice rang out. Everyone in the group groaned, vocally or mentally and Inuyasha held back a threatening growl that would surely have startled Kagome out of her relaxed state. "What are you doing here Kikyo?" Sango was the one who spat that out, her growl rivaling Inuyasha's. "I thought that since Kagome's boyfriends from her old school had moved here then she'd like to spend some time catching up with them," Kikyo said, her voice sugar sweet.

If Inuyasha hadn't been working so hard to make sure he got Kagome calmed down, he would have let out a roar that would put a dragon to shame. How dare the girl! How dare Kikyo, the girl he had fought so hard for with his parents, the girl he thought he had been in love with since eighth grade. He had tried everything he could to keep them together, and this was how she repaid him? Kagome started to squirm in his grip, terrified under the hate filled gaze of her virtual twin. Inuyasha gripped her tightly and his growl shifted to one of reprimanding, Kagome stilled.

"Inuyasha this will never do," Kikyo said," I can't have you changing form whenever you get upset. Once we're back together we're going to need to do something about that. Now get yourself unwrapped from that little harlot and come back to me." The roar that Inuyasha let loose made the foundations of the school shake and tremble. Kagome couldn't see the look Inuyasha gave his ex-girlfriend but the one she had on her face gave her a few ideas. Kikyo turned tail and ran into the school.

The rest of the day after that, Inuyasha stuck by Kagome as close as he could. When he couldn't he always made sure that one or another of the rest of the gang was with her and keeping her safe. Kagome barely 'said' a word for the rest of the day. Whenever Inuyasha was near she liked to try and keep a death grip on him, as if making sure that he wasn't going to leave her. The rest of the group, minus Kagura, were as surprised at the turn of events as they were at the choice of people Kagome chose as her protector.

Inuyasha insisted on driving Kagome home that day. She didn't even put up a token of a fight, just let him do it. Souta was surprised when he came out of school to find his cousin waiting for him on her white feather instead of his sister on her bike. "What happened, where's Kagome?" the little boy demanded. "Inuyasha offered to drive Kagome home and she was in no position to refuse," Kagura replied, speaking in riddles," She's safe and fine and Inuyasha won't let anything happen to her." "Still doesn't explain why she let him driv her home," Souta argued," usually she only lets him drive her home when she's too tired to drive herself and she seemed fine this morning." "You can ask her yourself when we get home," Kagura said, effectively ending the conversation.

When Souta got home the first thing he did was run up to his sister's room to check on her. He found her sitting at her desk, calmly doing her homework. He knew better than to ask if she was alright. If he asked, then she would just lie and say she was perfectly fine and what was he worrying about anyways? So instead he looked at her with the trained eyes of a younger brother. She wasn't pale or unfocused as she normally was when tired. She wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary that said she wasn't anything but fine.

"Kids, I'm home!" came a shout from downstairs. "Dad," Souta cried, rushing out of the room and down the stairs to welcome his father home. "Where's your sister?" Naraku asked. "Upstairs doing homework," Souta replied. Naraku frowned. "She should be down here cooking dinner. She has plenty of time to do her homework this evening. Kagome!" Seconds later, Kagome appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Why haven't you started on dinner yet," Naraku asked in a stern voice. He didn't bother giving her a chance to answer. "Well, what are you waiting for, get down her and get cooking. Chop, chop!" Kagome, knowing very well the consequences of not following Naraku's orders as soon as they were given, ran down the steps and into the kitchen.

Dinner was eaten in silence that night. Kagome could feel the confusion radiating off her brother and the anger and something else radiating off of her step father. Once everyone was done, Kagome gathered up the dishes to take into the kitchen and Naraku took Souta into the living room to help him with homework. As she walked into the kitchen, Kagome froze for a moment then let out a sad sigh. The kitchen was a wreck. The dinner that was left over that was supposed to go into her and Souta's lunches was all over the floor. The dirty dishes in the sink were piled up a mile high. 'How in the world did he get stuff on the ceiling,' she thought, looking up.

With another small sigh, Kagome rolled up her sleeves and got to work. Her step father did this whenever he wasn't happy with her and figured that she needed to be punished. He would wreck the kitchen or the laundry room or something else and it would be her job to clean it all up. This was going to take all night, not to mention the rest of her homework that she had to still finish. She poked her head out the door of the kitchen. Naraku and her little brother were safely occupied with other things. She stared at the mess and slipped off her ring, she could do this.

The next morning at school, Kagome was getting her things out of her locker when someone whirled her around to face them. She fought to keep a smile from her face at the thought of Inuyasha, but the impulse quickly died when she saw who was really gripping her shoulders. Bankotsu was looking at her with the fire of hell in his eyes. This was not going to be good.

"So I see my little bitch did exactly what I told her not to do," he sneered," she went out and replaced me. And not only that but she replaced me with a hanyou. It's funny though, two worthless beings together. You guys deserve each other." He laughed and lifted Kagome off the ground by the front of her shirt. "You are my bitch," he hissed in her face," and I'm going to make sure you never forget it."

The next thing Kagome knew, she was back on her feet and being shoved behind someone. "Now listen here you fuckin' jackass, I don't care who you are or what your relationship is with Kagome, but you are going to stay away from her." "And why are you butting in here you worthless half breed," Bankotsu sneered," seems to me that little miss mute here can fight her own battles just fine. Now bug off, this is between me and my bitch." Inuyasha growled protectively and shoved Kagome as far behind him as he could. "I don't give a rat's ass who she is to you," he growled," but if you don't stay away from her, there will be hell to pay."

He grabbed Kagome, making sure that his grip wouldn't hurt her, and dragged her away from Bankotsu. He led her to their first period class where Miroku and Sesshomeru and Rin were already in their desks, talking. When Miroku saw who Inuyasha was dragging behind him, he went over to Kagome. 'Are you alright?' Kagome finger spelled a name. "Bankotsu," Miroku translated aloud. "The fucker had her by her collar and was looking intent on hurting her," Inuyasha said," I threatened to beat him up if he even so much as sneezed in her direction."

The rest of the day passed much like the second half of the day before had. Inuyasha kept a close eye on Kagome, holding on to her hand whenever possible, and when he didn't have a class of hers, he made sure one of the gang was there to look after her. At lunch, he wouldn't let her disappear up the tree, rather made her stay on the ground and eat. Or at least, he tried to make her eat. "Kagome, I don't care if you're not hungry, you need to eat or else you'll run out of energy during school," Inuyasha said. Kagome just shook her head stubbornly and signed a phrase that all of them had memorized in the last few minutes,' not hungry.'

"Good grief Kagome, you're more stubborn than Inuyasha is on his good days," Ayame said. "Who said I have any good days," Inuyasha shot back. 'You're not all bad Inuyasha,' Kagome signed with a half smile,' your good days are better than mine.' Everyone paused and stared at Kagome. It wasn't the fact that she had 'spoken' to them, it was the fact that she had given them a smile, or as much of one as she could. The group left lunch that day with a sense of accomplishment, they had gotten Kagome relaxed enough around them to smile.

That night after the city had gone to sleep, a meeting took place in a dark ally. "You're sure she's the one?" a voice asked. "Of course I'm sure, I've been sure ever since I saw her thirteen years ago. I've been trying to keep her unsuspecting but it's getting harder especially since she's actually starting to make friends at school. I actually had to bring in two more people to help keep her in line." "And look where that got you," the other voice said," that other damn hanyou at her school has taken her under his protection."

"I have a plan for that don't worry," the second voice said," remember, everything in this world is a matter of perception. All we have to do is make her so called friends see her in a different light." "I'll leave you to it then," the first voice said," I'm sure I don't have to tell you that it is imperative that we break her soon? Everything is almost ready, the only thing we are waiting on is the girl." "Of course," said the second voice," after her friends leave her, breaking her will be all too easy."

Things went wonderfully well for the next week and a half. Kagome had begun to warm up to the rest of the group and could be found most days under the tree at lunch having conversations, both written and signed, with her new friends. She had surprised herself the first time she had caught herself thinking of them as friends. But the more she thought about it, the more she found she liked the thought. They truly were her friends. She had even considered telling them the truth once or twice. But she had quickly shaken the idea out of her head. There was no way in the seven hells that they would accept her like that after having lied to them for so long.

Bankotsu and Jakotsu had even left her alone, thought she suspected that Inuyasha had more to do with that than she did. Whatever the reason, life was going wonderfully and she was happy for the first time in a long time. Even Naraku hadn't been as bad recently. Though there was the fact that she had taken to having episodes of pain in her throat every night before she went to sleep, she didn't let it get her down.

If only she had known that everything that she had gotten would all come crashing down around her.

**Thanks for reading. Reviews would be much appreciated.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright I am currently disgusted with myself as I'm sure a lot of you all are. I made myself promise I would not become a writer that lets months upon months go by without an update. As you all can see that worked well. NOT. I seriously love all the responses I've been getting for this story, last chapter especially. I'll stop with the sob story here an let you all get on with the new chapter but please read all the way down to my second author's note at the bottom. Happy reading!**

The doorbell rang in the Takahashi household. Izayoi, Inuyasha's mother, answered the door. She was surprised to find Kikyo standing at the door, dressed normally for once, with a smile on her face. She held out a piece of paper to the woman who could only be Inuyasha's mother. 'Hello,' the note read,' I'm looking for Inuyasha. Is he home?' Before Izayoi could ask any questions, a voice shouted from the top of the steps. "Mom, who's at the door? I'm expecting a friend so we can work on a project for school together." Izayoi saw the smile that lit up both teenagers faces at the sight of each other. "Kagome!" Inuyasha didn't bother walking the rest of the stairs, he just jumped over the railing and landed solidly on his feet. "How are you doing?" Kagome scribbled something in her notebook and showed it to Inuyasha.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Izayoi asked, wondering just what exactly this girl's relationship was with her son. "Oh, sorry mom. Kagome, this is my mom. Mom, this is Kagome. She's new to school this year and she's mute." Inuyasha introduced Kagome to his mother as she wrote something down. "No, Sango and Miroku aren't here yet, but they're always late. Did you think of an era for us to do for our history project?" Kagome nodded her head. "Well aren't you going to tell me what it is?" Kagome shook her head.

"Izayoi, who's at the door?" asked a male voice. Into view came the one person who could only be the father of Inuyasha and Sesshomeru. Inuyasha was the spitting image of him except for the ears which Sesshomeru had inherited. The man looked taken aback when he saw who was at the front door and then turned an angry gaze towards his youngest son. "What is Kikyo doing here?" he asked, his voice raising with every word," I thought your mother and I told you to break up with her!"

Inuyasha smacked a hand to his forehead, Izayoi sighed and Kagome tugged on Inutashio's sleeve to get his attention. He looked down, ready to shout at the girl who had dared to come back after he had told her not to. What he faced was a girl who frowned at him, almost in disappointment, and holding a piece of paper for him to read. 'Use your nose, I don't smell like Kikyo do I? My name is Kagome Higurashi and I am here to work on a history project with your son.' Inutashio stared at the girl, flabbergasted, but never got a chance to explain. At that moment, Sango and Miroku came up the front walkway. "Hey Kagome, Hey Inuyasha," Sango called," have either of you thought up an era for us to do in history?" "Kagome has but she's not saying," Inuyasha replied. Kagome signed something. "She says she'll tell us upstairs," Miroku said," ready to get started?"

Inutashio watched, dumbfounded as Inuyasha lead the little group up the stairs to his room. "Serves you right Tashio," Izayoi said, shutting the front door," for jumping to conclusions like that." "But she," Inutashio sighed," yes it does serve me right. But for just a split second there she reminded me of somebody, not Kikyo, but somebody else. And her name, I know it sounds familiar from somewhere." "I'm sure you'll figure it out soon," Izayoi said," now why don't you go ask Sesshomeru if he wants any of the snacks I'm going to make for the kids upstairs. And ask Kagome if she has any allergies."

As Inutashio neared Inuyasha's door, he heard excited exclamations coming from inside. "The demon's role in WWII," said Sango," I love it." "Kagome says not to forget the exterminators and spirituals roles as well," Miroku said, translating whatever Kagome had just signed," and she says your dad is out in the hall." All eyes turned to the door as Inutashio walked in. "Your mom is making snacks for the group and she wanted to know if Kagome was allergic to anything," he said. "Kagome says thanks very much and that she isn't allergic to anything," Miroku translated. Inutashio nodded and shut the door on the sounds of the teens talking about their project.

Later that day after everyone had left, Izayoi asked how everyone had liked the snacks she sent up. "They were awesome mom! Thanks!" "Did Kagome like them?" "Don't know, she didn't try them. She said it was too close to dinner time for her to be eating." "But it was close to lunchtime when I sent them up," Izayoi exclaimed. "That's what we said but we've learned over time not to push it if she says she's not hungry. Though I don't think I've ever seen her eat a full meal. That can't be good for her."

"I highly doubt it is," Izayoi said," you need to have her over more often, she's sweet." "Everyone thinks so too. I'm glad we finally got her to warm up to us." At his mother's inquiring gaze, Inuyasha sighed. Then he proceeded to tell his mother about what had happened at the beginning of the year, minus when he had threatened to beat her up. His mother found her very interesting and insisted that he invite her and all his other friends over more often.

The next day Inuyasha caught up with Kagome as she walked into the school parking lot. "Where's Guardian?" he asked. 'In the shop,' Kagome wrote,' need to do a few repairs on her. Until then, I'm stuck walking to school.' "Do you need a ride home today?" he asked her. Kagome shook her head. 'It's good to walk sometimes. Got to get to my locker, see you in first period.'

Someone should have thought to mention to Kagome that the past couple of weeks had just been the calm before the storm. The worst was still yet to come. That day at lunch, she disappeared up the tree, something she didn't find herself doing too much anymore. She only did it when she found herself wanting to be alone. Which for her, surprisingly, wasn't often anymore. She was just drifting off to sleep when a huge wind picked up. 'Kagura will wake me up if she really needs me,' she thought as she drifted off.

"Where's Kagome," Kagura was panting with exertion when she landed under the tree where she knew her cousin ate lunch. "Up the tree," Sango said. "Probably sleeping," Rin added. "Why, what's wrong," asked Inuyasha. Kagura took a couple of seconds to peer up into the tree to make sure what they were saying about Kagome was true. She sighed with relief. "Nothing," she said, Inuyasha let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding," yet." The breath went right back in.

"What do you mean yet?" Inuyasha asked worriedly. "Exactly what I said," Kagura replied," Bankotsu and Jakotsu were talking big about getting even with their bitch and her half-breed guard dog. I wanted to make sure they hadn't tried anything yet." "Yet being the operative word," came a chilling voice from behind Kagura. Everyone whirled around to find Bankotsu standing no more than five feet away, holding a huge banryu in his hands. Behind him stood six more people, including Jakotsu. "Of course that will change once we get our hands on my little bitch. She needs to be taught a lesson."

Inuyasha didn't stick around to hear the rest of Bankotsu's pretty speech. He leapt up the tree he knew Kagome was sleeping in and found her on her usual branch. Instead of sleeping, she was wide awake, the spark of fear in her eyes. "We need to get out of here," Inuyasha said. For once, Kagome didn't even hesitate in trusting him. He grabbed her up in his arms and jumped from the tree to the roof of the school building just as a cloud of dense, oddly colored smoke rose up from below them.

"Inuyasha," came a weak voice from below," take Kagome and run. This is Mouikotsu's poison smoke. It's meant to render human and demon alike immobile." It was Kagura. Kagome looked as though she was ready to jump out of Inuyasha's grip and go down to her cousin's aid. "We can't Kagome, we need to get out of here," Inuyasha said, leaping off the roof and beginning to run. From behind them, the sound of gunshots rang out.

Kagome glanced behind them and saw a half robot, half man, following them with Bankotsu running along side him. The robot man took aim again and Inuyasha stumbled, a bullet in his shoulder. "Of all the days I pick to not wear my fire rat," Inuyasha joked. Another shot and he went down with another bullet in his leg. "Run Kagome," he said, pushing her upright," I'll try and buy you as much time as I can. Get somewhere safe!"

Kagome took off like the devil himself was on her heels. Of course, compared to the band of seven, the devil would have been a welcome relief. She took a turn down a side street and found her way blocked by two men with identical scars on their necks. "All dressed down and nowhere to go," Bankotsu's voice sneered," nowhere to run and hide from me now bitch. And your guard dog has been taken care of permanently." Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes, they had killed him!

Kagome growled in frustration, anger and utter hopelessness. "That's it Kagome," Bankotsu said, taking a step closer to her," give up. There's no one around to save you, no one to help you. No one who gives a damn about whether you end up alive or dead after this." 'Yes they do,' Kagome desperately wanted to scream,' I do have friends and they do care about me.' "Sure you have people who call themselves your friend," Bankotsu said, as if reading her thoughts," But when they see you for who and what you truly are, do you really think that they're going to want to hang around with you anymore. Especially a cold blooded murderer?"

Screaming wasn't an option for Kagome otherwise she would have done it long before then. She wanted to take out her feelings on the eardrums of those in the vicinity. But, slowly but surely, a voice, that sounded uncannily like Bankotsu's, started up in the back of her mind. 'He's right you know,' the voice told her,' they don't care.' Kagome clapped her hands to her ears, trying to block out the voice. But you can't block out what's in your own head.

"Get her." Two simple words never before had filled Kagome with so much dread. She watched, feeling detached from her own body, as all seven of the Band surrounded her. Two of them were pinning her down by her shoulders, another two had her legs and the last two had the other parts that the others couldn't get. When she finally got the feeling that she was actually back in her own body, she started struggling as hard as she could.

"Come now Kagome," Bankotsu said," you should know by now that, if anything, struggling only makes things worse. Keep still, it will all be over soon." "Oooohhhhh, Bankotsu, she's got pretty jewelry on," Jakotsu squealed, eyeing Kagome's ring," can I take it? It's going to be the only enjoyment I get with her." A horrible gleam started in Bankotsu's eyes. "Go ahead Jak," he told his partner in crime," go right on ahead."

As Jakotsu's hand reached for Kagome's, terror welled up in her. She could feel her beast close to the surface, the only thing keeping it at bay was the ring that she wore on her left ring finger. Cold hands gripped the ring and began sliding it off. The first change was her eyes became red as a hot iron, after that the rest was instantaneous.

When Kagome got control of her body again, red still ringed her irises. The first thing she noticed was all the blood. Seven forms lay scattered around her, she couldn't tell if they were alive or dead and she couldn't bring herself to check which. She was still in hanyou form, her ears were twitching every which way, trying to flick the blood off of them. She didn't look down at her hands, knowing just from the stickiness that they were already coated with blood.

The sound of ragged breathing reached her ears and she turned. She found Inuyasha leaning on the building next to them, breathing hard and staring at her. Kagome's breath caught in her throat in a half sob, half surprised gasp. She couldn't tell what was in his gaze, but, with a sinking heart, she knew whatever was in it didn't bode well for her. The sound of running footsteps reached both hanyou's ears and moments later the rest of the group came into view.

Kagura had out her fan that she used for fighting and summoning winds. Sango had out her giant boomerang made from demon bones. Miroku had out several sutras and stood next to Rin who, to Kagome's surprise, held a short sword in her hands. Sesshomeru had a glowing green poison whip in his hands and both Ayame and Koga had their claws out and looked ready to use them at a moment's notice.

"Oh Kagome, thank god," Kagura breathed and took a step forward only to stop when she saw the state her cousin was in. Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes and she let out a real sob. "I'm Sorry," she cried, gasping," I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, sorry." With a giant leap, she scaled the building next to her and took off. "Kagome." That shout wasn't Kagura, but Inuyasha's ragged voice. "Kagome, come back here," he called," please come back here. I forgive you!"

Inuyasha had woken up with a monster headache and the sounds of a struggle reverberating through his head. 'Kagome,' her name flashed through his head, instantly reminding him where he was and what was happening to someone he saw as a friend. "Come now Kagome," came a voice," you should know by now that, if anything, struggling only makes things worse. Keep still, it will all be over soon."

Inuyasha was on his feet, taking care of his shoulder wound which was healing rapidly as well as his side which seemed to have yet another bullet in it. He needed to get to Kagome, he needed to save her, before something happened. He was just at the mouth of the alley when the most terrifying and terrified growl he had ever heard tore through the alley. Even though he had never heard it before, Inuyasha knew that there was only one person that sound could belong to. Kagome.

Inuyasha paused at the top of the alley and stared at the figure who had both changed so much and yet remained so eternally the same. Kagome was holding one of the Seven by the throat and lifting him above her head. Behind her the rest of the band looked scared out of their wits. Atop Kagome's head, two dog ears twitched and a set of pearly white fangs peeked out of her mouth. Her finger nails had elongated to deadly sharp points. Kagome was an Inuhanyou.

In less than the time it took for him to get down the rest of the alley, Kagome had taken out all of the Band and was standing still, staring at something. It took Inuyasha a moment to realize that Kagome was staring at him with wide red eyes. "**So you are the hanyou who has so thoroughly stolen my mistress's heart**," her voice was a melodic, light sound that acted like a balm on his soul. "**I had expected someone more heroic**," Kagome's demon said," **Not a boy who is more attuned to his feelings than in controlling his rages and his demon. Why is it that you cannot keep your beast under control like you should? Like my mistress does?**"

"But why do I need to do that?" Inuyasha asked," my demon is as much a part of me as you are part of Kagome. Why should I try and lock it away? How is it you are speaking now?" Kagome cocked her head at him, watching him intently, as if trying to read him. "**I can speak in this form because no one else can tame another's demon form. She has a curse placed on her that prevents her from speaking. It is also the cause of her throat pains. My mistress doesn't let me out more often because I am uncontrollable, I do things on the slightest whim, not caring if I hurt someone I don't care for or not.**"

"So why come out now?" Inuyasha asked," why has she never shown us her demon form before. We're her friends, she should trust us." "**Do not despair, she does not trust many, my mistress. If it makes you feel any better, you are among one of the few that she warmed up to enough to even contemplate trusting. The only one who she felt could unseal her heart.**" "Unseal her heart, what are you saying?" Inuyasha cried. "**I must go**," Kagome's demon said,"** My mistress has the strength to call me back. Do not let her push you away. And don't you dare push her away.**"

The look Kagome gave Inuyasha was so searing that he didn't dare contradict her. Not like he wanted to anyways. When he looked at her again, she had turned around. He knew, even without looking at her that she had transformed back. There would be a red ring around her irises. Her ears flicked back and forth, trying to get the blood off of them. She seemed scared to look around, scared of what she might see. When she finally turned around to face him he could see that her eyes were filled with dread and fear.

Inuyasha thought that he could hear his own heart crack as he stared in Kagome's now hanyou eyes. For a moment all was silent except for the sounds of his breathing, then the rest of the group arrived. They had all their battle gear on, ready to use it at a moment's notice. "Oh Kagome, thank god," Kagura breathed and took a step forward only to stop short. Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes and she let out a sob. "I'm Sorry," she cried, gasping," I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, sorry." With a giant leap, she scaled the building next to her and took off. "Kagome." That shout wasn't Kagura, but Inuyasha's ragged voice. "Kagome, come back here," he called, voice filled with desperation thought he didn't know why," please come back here. I forgive you!"

Inuyasha turned wild eyes to Kagura. "Where did she go?" he just about screamed the question in her face," we need to go after her!" Kagura looked straight at him with eyes as cold as ice. "You mean, you don't care that she lied to you about what she was? About who she was? You still choose to follow her, Half demon?" For some reason, Kagura's voice when she said that word went so cold that Inuyasha was waiting for it to start freezing things.

"At the moment I could care less," he growled," right now all I know is that she's hurt and hurting inside and I need to find her." A grin spread across Kagura's face, a grin Inuyasha hoped he'd never see again. "So, it is precisely what I expected. The other hanyou has signed her death warrant." In a puff of smoke, Kagura disappeared, leaving everyone behind her staring in confusion and anger.

"Since when can she do smoke?" Rin asked, daring to break the silence that had fallen around the group. "She can't," came the reply in a whispery, far-away voice. Everyone turned to find Kanna standing in the mouth of the alley with her mirror in hand. "That was not my sister," the girl said," that was an imposter. My sister is currently in the school nurse's office, out cold."

Inuyasha looked as if he was about to bolt after Kagome when his brother put a hand on his shoulder. "Calm yourself brother, we cannot rush after her blindly without a plan of attack." "Find her, get her out of whatever trouble she's found herself in, and then put whoever is the mastermind behind this plan in their place for causing her so much misery," Inuyasha growled," that sounds like a good plan to me." "We don't even know where she went or what we're going to be up against," Sango pointed out. "Do I look like I care?" "Inuyasha," Miroku tried to calm him. "Don't you get it!" Inuyasha shouted to the group," Kagome just had her biggest secret that she could ever have shoved out into the open. Not to mention the fact that her demon took control of her body to take care of the band of seven. I know how confused and scared you are after you get out of that state. We need to fucking find her!"

Sometime during Inuyasha's outburst, Ayame and Koga had detached themselves from the group to go get Kagura, who, true to her sister's word, was on the lawn, still out cold from the miasma. They arrived back just as Inuyasha finished his speech. "Follow the blood," Kagura said. The entire group turned to look at her, leaning heavily on Ayame. "She's got blood on her hands," Kagura said," it shouldn't be hard to track. But let me be the first one to get near her. She's in a precarious state right now, one wrong move…"

Inuyasha took off first, his brother closely following him. Then came the two wolves, Sango and Miroku, and Kagura carrying Kanna and Rin on her feather. "Try her house first," Kagura called," someplace where she's always felt safe. That seems like the type of place where she would go." Without comment, Inuyasha steered the group in the direction of Kagome's home.

Kagome wasn't there, nor did the thought ever cross her mind to go home. She had instead headed for the nearest source of water she could find to get the stink of blood off of her. Then she began to run. She had forgotten the sensations that coursed through her when she ran in her hanyou state. It had been so long since she dared let it come out in the daytime. Wind ripped through her hair, scents bombarded her sensitive nose and sounds had her ears twitching in more directions than she thought was possible. She would have enjoyed it, had it not been for the fact she was running for dear life.

Kagome sped through the streets of town, not caring about the cars that sometimes jumped out at her or the humans or demons she might have run into along the way. She was just trying to run. When all the running finally caught up with her, she didn't know where she was. All around her were run down buildings and what seemed to be the edge of a forest.

"She's not here," Inuyasha announced. They had just finished searching Kagome's home from top to bottom and hadn't found a trace of the wayward half-demon. Kagura was looking just as perplexed and worried as Inuyasha was. "I don't know where she could be," she said," but it's been so long that she might have changed her habits. She used to come home and hide under her bed whenever that kind of stuff happened." "She didn't change her habits, just the place she goes," came a voice.

Everyone in the group whirled around to find Souta standing on the sidewalk outside the house. "When Kagome didn't come pick me up from school I started to get worried," he explained," something happened to her, didn't it?" "Her true form got revealed to us," Sesshomeru explained when it was obvious that Inuyasha wasn't going to. "So she did what she always does in that situation," Souta guessed," Check the forest or the less populated part of town. She doesn't like to be near people for a while after something like this happens."

"There are woods on the outskirts of town, but that's at least half a day's run," Koga said. "You forget, the girl we are chasing has just had the fear of the gods put into her," Sango said," that's enough to make anyone run faster than even they ever thought capable of." "Well then what the hell are we waiting for?" Inuyasha growled, preparing to spring upwards. "Hey!" Souta exclaimed, making them all jump," she's my sister too and I'm coming with you."

"There you are Kagome!" Kagome jumped as the familiar voice reached her ears. She had dashed into the forest, looking for a good place to hide and had wound up high in the branches of a tree. She looked down to see Kagura standing at the base of the tree. "Come down Kagome," she called," no one's mad at you! They understand why you did it!" Kagome shook her head, her cousin wasn't going to take no for an answer though. "Kagome come down here. I at least need to check with my own eyes that you're alright."

Hesitantly, Kagome began climbing her way down from the tree. Finally she reached the bottom. She stood in front of Kagura, eyes downcast, as if waiting for a slap or a hit that would never come. She felt her cousin's arms wrap themselves tightly around her. "Oh thank the gods you're alright," Kagura said," though I have one thing to ask you. Why did you take off the ring you stupid girl? I thought I told you to never take it off even if your life was in danger!" Kagome stared at the thing she thought was her best friend in the world as it shifted and changed into something else.

A few seconds later she found herself staring into the eyes of her younger brother. "Kagome, why did you do it?" His eyes grew big and forlorn looking. "Why did you have to hurt me Kagome? Why did you have to kill my dad? Why?" Kagome felt tears spring to her eyes as she saw wounds appear on the figure as he spoke. She felt the tacky blood that covered her claws, she could smell the scent of two different people's blood on her hands. On her hands.

"Poor, pitiful and weak Kagome," the voice came out of the figure that was her brother but was no voice he could ever speak with," tried so very hard to protect those she loved but in the end, she was the reason for their demise. How does it feel Kagome? To know that no matter what you do, no matter where you go or what form you take, you'll never be able to keep the promises that you've made."

The next figure the creature morphed into was willowy and shadowed. "You don't know how long I've waited to be able to stain my hands with your blood, little Hanyou."

Inuyasha was carrying Souta on his back as they ran over the roof tops of town. The rest of the group was following a ways behind them, just barely in sight, unable to keep up with Inuyasha's speed. They were momentarily startled when a howl tore through the afternoon air. Souta's face went ashen and Inuyasha knew his wasn't much better. "Kagome?" Souta nodded to the question. "We need to hurry."

As soon as the two touched down at the edge of the woods, Souta took off. "Hey, wait up," Inuyasha called, damn that kid was a fast runner. "We need to get to her before she does something that she regrets," Souta called back," especially if she's in her demon state." The comment only made Inuyasha run faster, right into blood stained claws.

When the rest of the group touched down a few minutes later they wasted no time in getting to the place where Kagome was. The scene they stumbled onto was not one any of them had been expecting. Kagura's jaw fell to the ground when she saw the mutilation and carnage that awaited them. "Kagome," she said, her voice both sad and angry at the same time," what have you done?" Inuyasha and Souta both lay on the ground. Blood splattered Inuyasha's silver hair like stained glass. Souta lay on the ground, eyes closed like he was asleep, his guts spilled out onto the moss covered ground.

"They hurt me," Kagome said, her eyes red," they tried to kill me." If she had been crying or going on about how they had surprised her and she hadn't realized that it was them, the group might not have gotten as mad. But as Kagome wasn't showing the least bit of remorse over the killing, everyone was seeing red. "How could you Kagome?" Sango shouted at the girl she had come to think of as a friend. "They tried to kill me," demon Kagome replied. "You know Inuyasha and Souta would never do that," Kagura countered," now why did you really kill them?" The comment made Kagome pause for a moment. Sango, figuring that the girl was trying to fashion some excuse, took that moment to attack.

Her attack was blocked by a purple shield that appeared out of nowhere around the transformed half demon. "Kagome, didn't I tell you to keep your ring on no matter what? That I didn't care if your pathetic little life was on the line it wasn't to come off?" Kagome's face whitened and she winced at the sound of her step father's harsh voice as he appeared out of the shadows of a nearby tree. Kagome whined and whimpered at the sight of him. Naraku took another step towards the now terrified girl. "No," Kagome said, taking a step back into a tree," no, please dear gods no."

"I already told you the consequences of taking your ring off. I already told you that it didn't matter if your worthless, pathetic life was in danger, you were to keep it on no matter what." "I wasn't my fault," Kagome cried," they over powered me and then they took it off. There was nothing I could do to stop them." "It doesn't matter." Naraku stepped directly in front of his step daughter and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up off the ground. Kagome whined and gasped for air. "You know, your plan really would have worked so much better if you had sent more demons to try and keep me contained," came a voice.

**Alright, thanks for meeting me here at the bottom for the Author's Note part 2! I have two very big favors I need to ask of you, my readers. First is, I'm about tapped dry for ideas at the moment. I have maybe six more pages that I have typed and then nothing. So I really need ideas. Second thing is I'm putting out a ginormous SOS with pyrotechnics, strobe lights and the whole nine yards for a beta. What I need is someone who can keep me moving and (hopefully) motivated. I need someone who will get on my case big time if I don't update when I say I will or have a chapter ready for betaing. I won't need much help in the grammar department. What I'll need is help with plot, characters and making sure things don't sound dull. I've really been getting lazy about my writing (not a good thing for someone in college!). If you think you're up for the task or ****know someone who might be then please PM me.**

**I'll let you guys go now, I've written enough!**


	9. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**Ok guys, for any readers that I still have left you guys are going to hate me. No, I am not giving up on this story, that is one thing I absolutely refuse to do. I have not worked on this story since my last update because I am completely tapped out for ideas. Or I was until about a month ago. I won't go into too many details now but it involves another whole story arc.**

**I don't know how long it's going to be till this is updated but it will be within the next couple of months (Hopefully). But I'm going to need help. I have a very vague idea, but any more that you guys have would be greatly appreciated. **

**The last thing I'm going to ask you guys is if someone can please beta for me? I'm really desperate here, so desperate that I'm almost to the point of asking my father to help out! I need someone to get on me about updating and finishing chapters. And if you need the other specifics, please see the authors note at the bottom of chapter 8.**

**Trust me, no one's more disappointed in this turn of events than I am. Sorry for putting you guys through so much!**

CaseClosed621


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